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Hong Kong's chief executive, John Lee, has directed the formation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that killed at least 151 people.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

This past Wednesday, the majority of the tower blocks at the estate—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. A probe subsequently revealed that construction site netting surrounding the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been taken into custody over alleged culpable homicide, including the senior figures of a construction company.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, the fire was immense. Reform is necessary. We have uncovered shortcomings in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must act seriously to guarantee all these loopholes are eliminated," he said.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—advancing with speed both vertically and from building to building—was only fully doused by the morning of Friday, approximately two days after it ignited, and took more than 2,000 fire service personnel to subdue.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the probe could require several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have said they failed to hear a emergency siren when the fire started. Hong Kong's fire service discovered that warning systems in each building were not working effectively.

The city's construction authority has put on hold construction activities on three dozen private developments.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, police reportedly detained a individual on allegations of subversion on Saturday. He was part of a group petitioning for an autonomous investigation into the tragedy. An internet-based appeal gathered over 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Two other people, including a former district councillor, were also detained by authorities, as reported by news outlets.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both denounced the alleged detentions.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the reasons of the devastating fire...rather than silencing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had supplied close to 2,000 units for around 4,600 inhabitants, according to a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its inhabitants are estimated to be older than 65 years old. Some have resided in the public housing complex since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on file took 176 lives in the mid-20th century and was triggered by a blast on the lower level at a multi-story storage facility. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 attendees lost their lives.