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The city's chief executive, John Lee, has mandated the establishment of an separate inquiry panel to examine the reasons of a catastrophic blaze that killed at least 151 individuals.

A Blaze of Unprecedented Scale

This past Wednesday, most of the tower blocks at the housing complex—which had been undergoing significant upgrades—went up in flames. Investigators have since found that construction site netting used around the buildings did not comply with fire safety regulations.

A minimum of 13 people have been detained on suspicion of alleged culpable homicide, among them the executives of a construction company.

"It is a terrible tragedy, the fire was immense. Changes are required. Yes, we have identified failures in various phases. Hence we must act seriously to guarantee all these gaps are plucked," remarked Mr. Lee.

The Probe and Its Consequences

The fire—that propagated rapidly both upwards and from building to building—was finally put out by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it began, and required over 2,000 emergency responders to contain.

On that day, police began entering the buildings to collect forensic material. Officials state the probe could take approximately a month.

Systemic Failures Identified

A number of occupants have reported they were not alerted by a smoke detector when the incident erupted. Local firefighters determined that alarms in all eight blocks were operating inadequately.

The relevant regulatory body has temporarily suspended renovation projects on 30 private projects.

Calls for Inquiry and Arrests

Additionally, authorities are said to have arrested a individual on allegations of subversion on the weekend. He was part of a gathering demanding an autonomous investigation into the blaze. An internet-based appeal gathered more than 10,000 endorsements in less than a day before its page was taken down.

Two other people, among them a former district councillor, were also taken in by authorities, according to local media reports.

Global Response

The human rights organization and Another watchdog have both criticised the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the city's officials to openly examine the reasons of the catastrophic blaze...rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions," remarked the group.

Historical Context and Demographics

The housing estate was completed in 1983 and had provided nearly two thousand flats for some 4,600 residents, based on a recent official survey.

Approximately 40 percent of its occupants are thought to be over 65 years old. Several have been occupants of the government-supported development since its construction.

The city's second-most fatal incident on file claimed 176 individuals in the mid-20th century and was caused by a detonation at street level at a multi-story storage facility. The most deadly was at a local racetrack in 1918, when more than 600 people lost their lives.