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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody thirteen individuals on suspected charges of manslaughter in connection with last week’s devastating fire, amidst growing public outcry over the arrests of citizens demanding accountability.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Death Toll Climbs

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in Tai Po on the start of the week, days after the most fatal blaze in seven and a half decades. The number of fatalities reached 151 and is expected to rise higher as the operation continues. About 40 people are still missing.

Construction Work Linked to Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, home to nearly 5,000 people, had been undergoing extensive renovations that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, public fury has grown over alleged past safety violations by the contractor working at the site and lax enforcement of standards, fuelled by revelations that occupants had been voicing concerns over the renovations for a year.

Those Detained Include Corporate Executives

On Monday afternoon, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had detained thirteen people over the disaster so far, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company, and had “immediately begun a thorough probe along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Uncovered

A senior official stated that seven of 20 tested samples of the scaffolding net used around the buildings did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Preliminary checks had found materials were up to code, but the official said the cheaper, substandard material had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to evade detection, describing it as a “deplorable deed”.

“Their sole aim was to make money at the cost of human lives,” the official stated.

Civilians Detained Amid Calls for Accountability

As accusations of safety lapses grow, alongside revelations that government authorities had issued multiple seemingly unenforced warnings, residents have asked why no government figures have yet been held accountable. Conversely, two civilians were reportedly arrested by national security police.

A person, named as a Hong Kong student, was arrested over an online petition that made “four requests” for guaranteed support for the victims and responsibility for those at to blame, including any corrupt or culpable government officials.

Local media said the individual was detained for “seditious intention”. Police did not verify the detention, saying only that they “will act according to actual circumstances and in compliance with the law”.

Local media also reported the detention of a ex-local representative.

Government Statement on Detentions

Questioned about the arrests, the secretary of security said there had been “inaccurate comments online” that were aimed to undermine public security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the secretary told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they involve state security.”

Social Media Response and Parallels Drawn

On local online platforms, people criticised the detention of citizens. “State security must be prioritised even if the victims are still trapped in the building,” said one.

Some commenters made parallels to the Chinese mainland. “There, these crimes are called ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “It’s usually punished with severe penalties. Stability trumps everything.”

Another said: “Since we are following the mainland’s approach, by targeting the individual who raises the question, no one will dare to ask, and thus Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

The detentions came after warnings by security officials that they would crack down on anyone considered to be using the tragedy to stir up “anti-China” sentiment.

Prior to the detentions, authorities had already demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Since the quelling of earlier protests, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers quickly organized relief efforts, with hundreds of people employing vehicles and transit to deliver large quantities of clothes, food and other essentials for the victims.

Nevertheless, by evening, armed police were patrolling the vicinity, and public authorities eventually assumed control from the volunteer organisers.

The petition over which the individual was allegedly arrested was launched on Friday evening. Its “four demands” echoed the language of previous campaigns but did not advocate systemic reform.

The individual told media that he was only “proposing very basic demands”.

“Should these suggestions are deemed subversive or ‘crossing the line’, then I believe I cannot foresee the outcomes of any action any more, and I can only do what I truly believe is correct,” he stated.