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The city's leader, John Lee, has ordered the creation of an autonomous task force to probe the origins of a tragic inferno that took a minimum of 151 people.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

On Wednesday last week, seven of eight residential blocks at the housing complex—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—were consumed by a blaze. Authorities later discovered that protective netting installed on the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

At least 13 suspects have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, including the senior figures of a contractor.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Changes are required. Failures have been detected in different stages. That is exactly why we must take decisive action to ensure that all these deficiencies are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

Investigation and Aftermath

The blaze—which spread quickly both upwards and from building to building—was only fully doused by the end of the week, around 40 hours after it began, and took in excess of 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

That very day, officers commenced entry into the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the probe could require several weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Multiple inhabitants have reported they were not alerted by a emergency siren when the blaze broke out. Hong Kong's fire service found that warning systems in every tower were not working effectively.

The relevant regulatory body has halted for now renovation projects on numerous private sites.

Demands for Probe and Detentions

In a related development, officers took into custody a 24-year-old man on allegations of sedition on the weekend. He was part of a collective demanding an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An online petition collected over 10,000 signatures in a very short time before its information was removed.

Two other people, among them a past council member, were also detained by officers, per local media reports.

Global Response

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both condemned the said apprehensions.

"The moment has come for the Hong Kong authorities to thoroughly and publicly probe the origins of the tragic incident...rather than silencing those who pose valid inquiries," stated the organization.

Historical Context and Demographics

Wang Fuk Court was constructed in the early 1980s and had provided nearly two thousand flats for approximately 4,600 occupants, based on a population count.

Nearly 40% of its residents are thought to be over 65 years of age. A number have been occupants of the subsidised housing estate since its construction.

Hong Kong's second-worst blaze on file claimed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a detonation at street level at a commercial building. The deadliest was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when over 600 individuals lost their lives.