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Authorities in the city have detained 13 individuals on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with last week’s catastrophic blaze, amidst increasing public outcry over the arrests of citizens calling for accountability.

Search Continues as Death Toll Climbs

Rescue teams persisted in combing through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in Tai Po on the start of the week, days after the city’s deadliest fire in seven and a half decades. The death toll reached one hundred and fifty-one and is expected to rise further as the search goes on. Approximately forty people are currently missing.

Renovations Connected with Fire’s Cause

The estate, home to nearly five thousand people, had been in the midst of major refurbishment that have been linked to the origin of the blaze. In the wake of the tragedy, public fury has grown over alleged past safety violations by the construction company working at the site and lax enforcement of standards, spurred on by revelations that residents had been complaining about the work for a year.

Arrests Include Corporate Executives

On the afternoon of Monday, authorities said the anti-graft agency had arrested 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the executives and an engineering consultant of a construction company, and had “promptly initiated a thorough probe along the lines of manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Revealed

A senior official stated that 7 of twenty tested specimens of the scaffolding net used around the towers did not meet fire-retardant standards. Initial testing had found materials were up to code, but the official said the cheaper, noncompliant material had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to evade detection, describing it as a “deplorable deed”.

“They just wanted to make money at the cost of people’s lives,” he said.

Citizens Arrested Amid Demands for Answers

As accusations of safety lapses grow, alongside reports that official bodies had issued multiple seemingly unenforced warnings, residents have questioned why no officials have yet been held accountable. Conversely, two civilians were allegedly arrested by security forces.

A person, identified as a Hong Kong student, was detained over an internet appeal that made “four demands” for assured assistance for the affected families and accountability for those at to blame, including any corrupt or culpable public servants.

Local media said the student was arrested for “seditious intention”. Law enforcement did not verify the detention, saying only that they “will act according to the situation and in compliance with the law”.

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

Official Response on Detentions

Asked about the arrests, the security chief said there had been “inaccurate comments on the internet” that were intended to undermine public security. “Therefore, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the secretary told a press conference. “Operational details cannot be revealed as they involve state security.”

Social Media Response and Comparisons Drawn

On local online platforms, people condemned the arrests of civilians. “National security must be prioritised even if the dead are still trapped in the building,” said a comment.

Some commenters drew comparisons to the Chinese mainland. “The mainland, these crimes are called ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said a user. “It’s usually met with heavy sentences. Social order trumps everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are aligning with mainland China’s approach, by targeting the person who asks questions, nobody will venture to question, and thus Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Volunteer Efforts

The detentions followed advisories by national security authorities that they would take action against anyone deemed to be using the incident to stir up “anti-China” feelings.

Prior to the arrests, officials had already begun showing increased vigilance to the community response. Following the quelling of earlier protests, civilian gatherings have been strictly regulated. In the days following the fire, community volunteers rapidly established aid operations, with many individuals employing cars and transit to bring in mountains of garments, supplies and other necessities for the victims.

Nevertheless, by evening, officers were patrolling the area, and government officials soon took over from the volunteer organisers.

The petition over which the individual was reportedly arrested was launched late on Friday. Its “four demands” mirrored the terminology of previous protest movements but did not call for systemic reform.

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

“Should these suggestions are deemed seditious or ‘crossing the line’, then I feel I cannot foresee the consequences of any action any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is correct,” he stated.