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Authorities in the city have taken into custody thirteen people on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the recent devastating fire, amid growing criticism over the detentions of civilians demanding responsibility.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Death Toll Rises

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court estate in the Tai Po district on Monday, days after the city’s deadliest fire in seven and a half decades. The number of fatalities rose to 151 and is expected to rise further as the search goes on. About forty people are currently unaccounted for.

Construction Work Linked to Cause of Blaze

The estate, housing almost 5,000 people, had been undergoing major refurbishment that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, public fury has grown over alleged previous safety breaches by the contractor working at the site and poor oversight of standards, fuelled by disclosures that residents had been complaining about the renovations for a year.

Arrests Include Company Directors

On the afternoon of Monday, authorities said the anti-graft agency had arrested thirteen people over the tragedy so far, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company, and had “promptly initiated comprehensive investigation along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Revealed

A senior official stated that 7 of twenty tested specimens of the scaffolding net used around the buildings did not meet fire-retardant standards. Initial testing had found materials were compliant, but the official said the less expensive, substandard netting had been installed in areas hard to reach in order to evade detection, labeling it a “deplorable deed”.

“They just wanted to profit at the cost of people’s lives,” the official stated.

Citizens Detained Amid Demands for Accountability

As accusations of safety violations mount, alongside revelations that government authorities had issued several apparently ignored cautions, residents have asked why no government figures have yet been held accountable. Conversely, two members of the public were allegedly taken into custody by national security police.

One individual, identified as a local student, was detained over an internet appeal that made “four requests” for assured assistance for the affected families and responsibility for those at fault, including any negligent or responsible government officials.

Local media said the student was arrested for “seditious intention”. Law enforcement did not confirm the arrest, saying only that they “will take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the legal framework”.

News outlets also covered the detention of a ex-local representative.

Government Statement on Detentions

Asked about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “inaccurate comments on the internet” that were intended to undermine public security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including law enforcement measures,” the official told a press conference. “Operational details cannot be disclosed as they involve state security.”

Social Media Response and Parallels Made

On Hong Kong social media, people criticised the arrests of civilians. “State security must be prioritised even if the dead are still buried in the structure,” said a comment.

Some commenters drew comparisons to mainland China. “The mainland, such acts are termed ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said a user. “It’s usually punished with severe penalties. Stability overrides everything.”

Another said: “Since we are following the mainland’s approach, by targeting the person who raises the question, nobody will dare to ask, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no issues.”

Heightened Sensitivity and Volunteer Efforts

The arrests followed warnings by security officials that they would take action against anyone considered to be using the tragedy to stir up “anti-China” sentiment.

Prior to the arrests, authorities had already demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the community response. Following the quelling of earlier unrest, public assemblies have been tightly controlled. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers rapidly established aid operations, with many individuals employing vehicles and public transport to bring in mountains of garments, food and other essentials for the survivors.

Nevertheless, by nightfall, officers were monitoring the area, and public authorities soon assumed control from the community coordinators.

The appeal over which the student was allegedly detained was initiated on Friday evening. Its “four demands” mirrored the language of past campaigns but did not advocate systemic reform.

The student informed reporters that he was only “putting forward very basic demands”.

“Should these suggestions are considered subversive or ‘transgressive’, then I believe I can’t predict the consequences of any action any more, and I can only do what I truly believe is right,” he said.