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Authorities in the city have taken into custody 13 individuals on suspected charges of manslaughter related to last week’s devastating fire, amid increasing public outcry over the arrests of citizens demanding accountability.

Search Continues as Fatalities Rises

Emergency services persisted in combing through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in the Tai Po district on the start of the week, following the most fatal blaze in seven and a half decades. The number of fatalities reached one hundred and fifty-one and is expected to rise further as the search goes on. Approximately forty people are still unaccounted for.

Construction Work Linked to Fire’s Cause

The estate, home to nearly 5,000 people, had been undergoing major refurbishment that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the wake of the tragedy, public fury has grown over alleged previous safety breaches by the construction company working at the location and lax enforcement of standards, spurred on by revelations that occupants had been voicing concerns over the renovations for a year.

Those Detained Include Corporate Executives

On the afternoon of Monday, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had arrested 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the executives and an engineering consultant of a contracting firm, and had “immediately begun a thorough probe along the lines of manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Revealed

A top administrator stated that 7 of twenty tested specimens of the scaffolding net 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 put in areas difficult to access in order to evade detection, describing it as a “shameful act”.

“They just wanted to profit at the cost of human lives,” he said.

Citizens Arrested Amid Demands for Answers

As accusations of safety violations grow, alongside revelations that government authorities had issued multiple seemingly unenforced warnings, residents have questioned why no officials have yet been held accountable. Conversely, two members of the public were reportedly taken into custody by security forces.

A person, named as a local student, was arrested over an online petition that made “four demands” for guaranteed support for the victims and accountability for those at fault, including any negligent or culpable government officials.

Reports said the individual was detained for “seditious intention”. Police did not confirm the detention, saying only that they “will take actions according to actual circumstances and in compliance with the legal framework”.

News outlets also covered the detention of a former district councillor.

Government Statement on Detentions

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

Social Media Response and Parallels Drawn

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

Some commenters drew comparisons to the Chinese mainland. “The mainland, such acts are called ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said a user. “It’s usually met with heavy sentences. Stability trumps 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 thus 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” sentiment.

Prior to the arrests, officials had already demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Since the suppression of earlier unrest, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the immediate aftermath, volunteer supporters rapidly established relief efforts, with many individuals employing vehicles and transit to deliver mountains of garments, supplies and other essentials for the survivors.

However, by evening, armed police were patrolling the vicinity, and public authorities eventually assumed control from the volunteer organisers.

The appeal over which the student was allegedly detained was launched late on Friday. Its “four demands” echoed the language of previous protest movements but did not advocate systemic reform.

The student told media that he was only “proposing fundamental requests”.

“Should these suggestions are deemed subversive or ‘transgressive’, then I believe I can’t predict the consequences of anything any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is correct,” he stated.