Hong Kong’s leader said Tuesday that a judge-led independent committee will investigate the cause of the city’s deadliest fire in decades, a blaze that killed 151 people and triggered a sweeping criminal probe into renovation work blamed for the disaster.

Police have arrested 13 people on suspicion of manslaughter, while the city’s anti-corruption agency has detained 12 others in a parallel graft investigation. Authorities have not said whether any individuals were arrested in both cases.

Officials say substandard plastic mesh and insulation foam used during renovation at Wang Fuk Court fueled flames that tore through seven high-rise towers housing more than 4,000 residents.

“To avoid similar tragedies again, I will set up a judge-led independent committee to examine the cause and rapid spread of the fire and related issues,” Chief Executive John Lee said at a news conference.

Investigators have searched all but two of the burned-out buildings, finding victims in stairwells and on rooftops as they attempted to flee. About 30 people remain missing.

Public frustration has grown amid calls for greater transparency and warnings from Beijing and Hong Kong officials that any attempt to politicize the disaster will be punished.

Asked about the reported detention of a student activist and two others under possible sedition charges, Lee said he “will not tolerate any crimes, particularly crimes that exploit the tragedy.” He declined further comment.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch criticized the reported arrests. Amnesty urged authorities to investigate the causes of the fire “rather than silencing those who ask legitimate questions.”

China’s national security office warned that no one should use the tragedy to “plunge Hong Kong back into the chaos” of 2019, saying those who attempt to “disrupt Hong Kong through disaster” will face strict accountability.

Legislative elections scheduled for Sunday will proceed as planned, Lee said.

Residents had raised earlier warnings

Residents of Wang Fuk Court were told last year they faced “relatively low fire risks” after complaining about hazards from the renovation work, according to the Labour Department.

Those concerns, raised in September 2024, included fears about the flammability of the green mesh wrapped around bamboo scaffolding. Officials said tests of mesh samples collected after the blaze did not meet fire-retardant standards.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan said contractors used substandard materials in hard-to-inspect locations, effectively concealing them from regulators. Officials also said foam insulation worsened the fire’s spread and that alarms in the complex malfunctioned.

Thousands of residents have held vigils for the victims, including at least nine domestic workers from Indonesia and one from the Philippines. Memorials are also planned in Tokyo, Taipei, and London.

Search shifts to worst-hit towers

Authorities said searches of the remaining two towers, the most heavily damaged, could take weeks. Police photos show officers in hazmat suits and helmets examining charred rooms, waterlogged floors, and collapsed debris.

More than 60 pets, including 34 cats, 12 dogs, and seven turtles, died in the blaze, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. More than 200 animals were rescued.

The seven-tower complex housed over 4,000 people, census data shows. Nearly 1,500 displaced residents have moved from evacuation centers into temporary units, while 945 others are staying in youth hostels and hotels.

Authorities are providing HK$10,000 ($1,284) per household in emergency aid and fast-tracking replacement identity cards, passports, and marriage certificates for those who fled with nothing.