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Officials in the city have detained 13 individuals on suspected charges of manslaughter in connection with the recent devastating fire, amidst increasing criticism over the detentions of civilians demanding accountability.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Fatalities Climbs

Emergency services persisted in combing through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court estate in the Tai Po district on Monday, following the city’s deadliest fire in 75 years. The death toll rose to one hundred and fifty-one and is expected to rise further as the operation goes on. About forty people are currently unaccounted for.

Renovations Linked to Cause of Blaze

The housing complex, home to nearly five thousand people, had been undergoing extensive renovations that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the wake of the tragedy, public fury has escalated over alleged previous safety breaches by the construction company working at the location and poor oversight of standards, spurred on by disclosures that occupants had been complaining about the renovations for a year.

Arrests Include Corporate Executives

On Monday afternoon, officials said anti-corruption authorities had detained 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the executives and an technical advisor of a construction company, and had “promptly initiated a thorough probe along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Revealed

A senior official stated that 7 of twenty tested specimens of the mesh netting used around the buildings did not meet fire-retardant standards. Preliminary checks had found materials were compliant, but the spokesperson said the less expensive, noncompliant material had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to avoid discovery, labeling it a “deplorable deed”.

“Their sole aim was to profit at the expense of human lives,” he said.

Citizens Arrested Amid Calls for Answers

As accusations of safety lapses mount, alongside revelations that official bodies had issued multiple apparently ignored cautions, the public have questioned why no government figures have yet been held accountable. Instead, two members of the public were allegedly taken into custody by security forces.

One individual, named as a local student, was detained over an internet appeal that made “four demands” for assured assistance for the victims and responsibility for those at to blame, including any negligent or culpable public servants.

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

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

Official Response on Arrests

Asked about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “misleading statements on the internet” that were intended to undermine 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 national security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Drawn

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

Several users drew comparisons to mainland China. “The mainland, these crimes are termed ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “It’s usually punished with severe penalties. Social order overrides everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are aligning with mainland China’s approach, by dealing with the person who raises the question, no one will venture to question, and thus Hong Kong’s governance will have no issues.”

Increased Scrutiny and Volunteer Efforts

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

Before the arrests, authorities had already demonstrated increased vigilance to the public reaction. Following the suppression of earlier unrest, public assemblies have been strictly regulated. In the days following the fire, volunteer supporters rapidly established relief efforts, with many individuals using cars and public transport to bring in large quantities of clothes, food and other essentials for the victims.

Nevertheless, by nightfall, armed police were patrolling the vicinity, and public authorities soon assumed control from the community coordinators.

The appeal over which the individual was reportedly detained was initiated on Friday evening. Its “four points” echoed the language of past campaigns but did not advocate political change.

The student informed media that he was only “proposing fundamental demands”.

“If these ideas are considered seditious or ‘transgressive’, then I believe I cannot foresee the outcomes of anything any more, and I can only do what I truly believe is correct,” he said.