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Authorities in the city have detained 13 people on suspected charges of manslaughter related to last week’s catastrophic blaze, amid growing public outcry over the arrests of citizens demanding responsibility.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Death Toll Rises

Emergency services persisted in combing through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court estate in the Tai Po district 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 anticipated to climb further as the operation continues. Approximately forty people are currently unaccounted for.

Renovations Connected with Fire’s Cause

The estate, housing almost five thousand people, had been in the midst of extensive renovations that have been linked to the origin of the blaze. In the wake of the tragedy, anger has escalated over alleged past safety violations by the contractor working at the location and poor oversight of standards, fuelled by disclosures that residents had been complaining about the renovations for a year.

Those Detained Include Company Directors

On the afternoon of Monday, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had detained thirteen people over the disaster so far, including the executives and an engineering consultant of a contracting firm, and had “promptly initiated comprehensive investigation along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Substandard Materials Revealed

A senior official stated that 7 of twenty tested samples of the mesh netting used around the buildings did not meet fire-retardant standards. Preliminary checks had found samples were compliant, but the official said the cheaper, noncompliant netting had been installed in areas hard to reach in order to evade detection, describing it as a “shameful act”.

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

Civilians Detained Amid Demands for Accountability

As accusations of safety lapses grow, alongside revelations that government authorities had issued several apparently unenforced warnings, the public have asked why no government figures have yet been held accountable. Conversely, two members of the public were reportedly arrested by security forces.

One individual, identified as a local student, was arrested over an online petition that made “four requests” for guaranteed support for the affected families and accountability for those at to blame, including any negligent or culpable government officials.

Reports said the student was detained for “inciting disaffection”. Police did not confirm the arrest, saying only that they “will act according to actual circumstances and in compliance with the legal framework”.

Local media also covered the arrest of a former district councillor.

Official Response on Arrests

Asked about the arrests, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements online” that were intended to threaten public security. “As a result, we must take necessary steps, including police action,” the secretary told a press conference. “Operational details cannot be disclosed as they concern national security.”

Social Media Response and Parallels Drawn

On Hong Kong social media, people criticised the arrests of civilians. “National security must be prioritised even if the victims are still buried in the building,” said one.

Some commenters made parallels to the Chinese mainland. “The mainland, such acts are called ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “They are typically punished with severe penalties. Stability trumps everything.”

Another said: “Now that we are aligning with mainland China’s approach, by targeting the person who raises the question, no one will dare to ask, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Heightened Sensitivity and Volunteer Efforts

The detentions followed warnings by national security authorities that they would crack down on anyone considered to be exploiting the tragedy to incite “hostile” feelings.

Prior to the arrests, authorities had already begun showing heightened sensitivity to the community response. Since the quelling of earlier protests, public assemblies have been strictly regulated. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers rapidly established relief efforts, with many individuals employing vehicles and public transport to bring in mountains of clothes, supplies and other necessities for the victims.

Nevertheless, by nightfall, armed police were patrolling the area, and public authorities soon took over from the volunteer organisers.

The appeal over which the individual was reportedly detained was initiated on Friday evening. Its “four points” mirrored the language of previous protest movements but did not call for political change.

The individual informed media that he was only “proposing very basic requests”.

“If these ideas are considered seditious or ‘crossing the line’, then I feel I cannot foresee the outcomes of anything any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is correct,” he stated.