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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody 13 individuals on suspected charges of manslaughter related to last week’s catastrophic blaze, amidst increasing criticism over the detentions of civilians demanding accountability.

Search Continues as Fatalities Climbs

Rescue teams persisted in combing through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court estate in the Tai Po district on Monday, following the most fatal blaze in seven and a half decades. The number of fatalities rose to 151 and is expected to rise higher as the operation continues. About forty people are still unaccounted for.

Construction Work Linked to Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, housing almost five thousand people, had been undergoing major refurbishment that have been linked to 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 standards, spurred on by revelations that residents had been voicing concerns over the work for a year.

Arrests Include Company Directors

On the afternoon of Monday, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had arrested 13 people over the disaster so far, including the executives and an technical advisor of a contracting firm, 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 specimens of the mesh netting used around the towers did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Initial testing had found samples were compliant, but the spokesperson said the cheaper, substandard material had been put in areas difficult to access in order to avoid discovery, labeling it a “shameful act”.

“They just wanted to make money at the expense of people’s lives,” the official stated.

Civilians Detained Amid Demands for Answers

As accusations of safety violations grow, alongside revelations that official bodies had issued several seemingly unenforced warnings, residents have asked why no officials have yet faced consequences. Instead, two civilians were allegedly arrested by national security police.

One individual, identified as a Hong Kong student, was arrested over an internet appeal that made “four demands” for guaranteed support for the victims and responsibility for those at fault, including any corrupt or responsible public servants.

Reports said the student was detained for “inciting disaffection”. Law enforcement did not confirm the arrest, saying only that they “will take actions according to the situation and in compliance with the legal framework”.

Local media also reported the detention of a former district councillor.

Official Response on Detentions

Asked about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “inaccurate comments online” that were aimed to threaten national security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the secretary told a media briefing. “Operational details cannot be disclosed as they involve state security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Drawn

On local online platforms, people criticised the arrests of civilians. “State security must be prioritised even if the dead are still buried in the structure,” said one.

Some commenters drew comparisons to the Chinese mainland. “There, these crimes are called ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “They are typically met with severe penalties. Stability overrides everything.”

Another said: “Now that we are following the mainland’s approach, by dealing with the person who asks questions, no one will venture to question, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

The detentions came after advisories by security officials that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be using the tragedy to incite “anti-China” feelings.

Prior to the arrests, officials had already begun showing heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Following the quelling of earlier protests, public assemblies have been strictly regulated. In the immediate aftermath, volunteer supporters quickly organized relief efforts, with hundreds of people employing vehicles and public transport to deliver large quantities of garments, supplies and other necessities for the survivors.

However, by nightfall, officers were monitoring the vicinity, and government officials soon assumed control from the volunteer organisers.

The petition over which the individual was reportedly detained was launched late on Friday. Its “four points” mirrored the terminology of previous protest movements but did not advocate political change.

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

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