Hong Kong leader orders investigation into deadly fire that killed 151

Hong Kong's leader John Lee has ordered the creation of an independent committee to investigate the cause of a devastating fire that killed at least 151 people.

Last Wednesday, seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex - which had been undergoing extensive renovations - went up in flames. Investigators have since found that a protective netting used around the buildings failed to meet flame retardant standards.

At least 13 people have been arrested for suspected manslaughter, including the directors of a construction company.

The fire is the deadliest the city has seen in more than 70 years and the death toll could rise further as officials continue to recover bodies.

Chief Executive Lee said that the committee would be led by a judge and would conduct "comprehensive reform", adding that he would work to "prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future".

Asked at a news conference why he should keep his job, Mr Lee acknowledged that reform was needed but failed to directly address the question.

"Yes, it is a tragedy, it is a big fire. Yes, we need reform. Yes, we have identified failures in different stages. That is exactly why we must act seriously to ensure that all these loopholes are plucked," he said.

The fire - which spread quickly both upwards and between the blocks - was only fully doused by Friday morning, some 40 hours after it started, and took more than 2,000 firefighters to bring under control.

The same day, police began entering the buildings to gather evidence. Authorities say the investigation could take three to four weeks.

The flames spread quickly across the separate tower blocks on protective mesh netting and other flammable materials on the outside of the buildings, officials have said.

Several residents have said they did not hear a fire alarm when the blaze broke out. Hong Kong's fire service found that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively.

Hong Kong's buildings department has temporarily suspended works on 30 private projects.

Separately, police reportedly detained a 24-year-old man on suspicion of sedition on Saturday. He was part of a group petitioning for an independent inquiry into the fire. An online petition gathered more than 10,000 signatures in less than a day before its contents were wiped.

Two other people, including a former district councillor, were also taken in by police, according to local media reports.

Asked about this on Tuesday, Lee did not address the question directly but said that "criminals that commit offences must be taken to justice".

"I emphasise I will not tolerate any crimes, particularly crimes that exploit the tragedy that we are facing now."

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have both criticised the reported arrests.

"Now is the time for the Hong Kong authorities to transparently investigate the causes of the devastating fire...rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions," Amnesty International said.

Wang Fuk Court was built in 1983 and had provided 1,984 apartments for some 4,600 residents, according to a 2021 government census.

Nearly 40% of its residents are estimated to be at least 65 years old. Some have lived in the subsidised housing estate since it was built.

Hong Kong's second-deadliest fire on record killed 176 people in 1948 and was caused by a ground-floor explosion at a five-storey warehouse. The most deadly was at Happy Valley Racecourse in 1918, when more than 600 people died.