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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Fire of Historic Proportions

On Wednesday last week, most of the apartment buildings at the housing complex—that was in the midst of major refurbishment—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that protective netting used around the buildings fell short of flame retardant standards.

No fewer than 13 individuals have been detained on suspicion of potential negligent homicide, comprising the senior figures of a building firm.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in multiple areas. This is precisely the reason we must take decisive action to make certain all these loopholes are addressed," stated the leader.

Investigation and Aftermath

The inferno—advancing with speed both upwards and from building to building—was not completely extinguished by the end of the week, some 40 hours after it ignited, and required over 2,000 firefighters to contain.

That very day, authorities started accessing the buildings to gather evidence. Officials state the investigation could take three to four weeks.

Systemic Failures Identified

Several residents have reported they did not hear a smoke detector when the fire started. Local firefighters found that alarms in each building were not working effectively.

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

Demands for Probe and Detentions

Separately, officers took into custody a young man on charges related to incitement on the weekend. He was among a group demanding an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An online petition collected over 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Two other people, comprising a past council member, were also questioned by officers, according to press accounts.

International Reaction

Amnesty International and The monitoring body have both criticised the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the local government to transparently investigate the causes of the tragic incident...as opposed to suppressing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Background and Resident Profile

The housing estate was built in the early 1980s and had offered nearly two thousand flats for around 4,600 residents, based on a population count.

Nearly 40% of its inhabitants are estimated to be at least 65 years of age. Some have lived in the public housing complex from its inception.

The city's second-most fatal incident on record claimed 176 lives in 1948 and was caused by a blast on the lower level at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when over 600 people perished.