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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody 13 people on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the recent catastrophic blaze, amidst increasing public outcry over the detentions of citizens demanding accountability.

Search Continues as Death Toll Climbs

Emergency services persisted in combing through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in the Tai Po district on Monday, days after the most fatal blaze in seven and a half decades. The death toll reached one hundred and fifty-one and is anticipated to climb higher as the search goes on. Approximately forty people are still missing.

Renovations Connected with Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, home to nearly five thousand people, had been in the midst of major refurbishment that have been associated with the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, anger has escalated over alleged past safety violations by the construction company working at the site and lax enforcement of safety codes, fuelled by disclosures that occupants had been voicing concerns over the renovations for a year.

Arrests Include Corporate Executives

On Monday afternoon, authorities said the anti-graft agency had arrested 13 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 manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Revealed

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

“They just wanted to profit at the expense of people’s lives,” he said.

Civilians Arrested Amid Calls for Answers

As accusations of safety violations grow, alongside reports that official bodies had issued several seemingly ignored cautions, the public have questioned why no officials have yet faced consequences. Conversely, two civilians were reportedly arrested by national security police.

One individual, identified as a local student, was arrested over an online petition that made “four requests” for assured assistance for the affected families and accountability for those at fault, including any negligent or culpable public servants.

Reports said the individual was detained for “inciting disaffection”. Police did not confirm 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 former district councillor.

Government Statement on Detentions

Asked about the arrests, the security chief said there had been “misleading statements on the internet” that were intended to undermine national security. “Therefore, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the official told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be disclosed as they concern state security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Made

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

Several users made parallels to mainland China. “The mainland, these crimes are termed ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “It’s usually met with heavy sentences. Stability overrides everything.”

Another said: “Now that we are aligning with the mainland’s methods, by targeting the person who asks questions, nobody will venture to question, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Volunteer Efforts

The arrests came after advisories by national security authorities that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be exploiting the tragedy to stir up “anti-China” feelings.

Before the detentions, authorities had already begun showing 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 hundreds of people employing cars and transit to deliver mountains of garments, supplies and other essentials for the victims.

Nevertheless, by evening, armed police were monitoring the vicinity, and government officials eventually took over from the community coordinators.

The appeal over which the individual was allegedly arrested was initiated on Friday evening. Its “four demands” mirrored the terminology of previous campaigns but did not call for systemic reform.

The individual told reporters that he was only “putting forward very basic requests”.

“If these ideas are considered 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 right,” he said.