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Officials in the city have detained thirteen people on suspicion of manslaughter related to last week’s devastating fire, amidst growing criticism over the detentions of citizens demanding responsibility.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Fatalities Climbs

Emergency services continued to search through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in Tai Po on Monday, days after the most fatal blaze in 75 years. The death toll reached 151 and is expected to rise further as the search continues. About 40 people are currently unaccounted for.

Construction Work Connected with Cause of Blaze

The estate, housing nearly five thousand people, had been undergoing extensive renovations that have been associated with the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, anger has escalated over reported previous safety breaches by the contractor working at the location and lax enforcement of safety codes, fuelled by disclosures that residents had been complaining about the renovations for a twelve months.

Arrests Include Company Directors

On the afternoon of Monday, officials said the anti-graft agency had detained thirteen people over the disaster so far, including the executives and an engineering consultant of a construction company, and had “immediately begun a thorough probe along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Uncovered

A senior official stated that seven of twenty tested samples of the scaffolding net used around the towers did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Preliminary checks had found materials were compliant, but the spokesperson said the cheaper, substandard netting had been put in areas hard to reach in order to avoid discovery, describing it as a “shameful act”.

“Their sole aim was to profit at the cost of human lives,” the official stated.

Citizens Detained Amid Demands for Answers

As allegations of safety violations grow, alongside reports that government authorities had issued several apparently 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 national security police.

One individual, named as a Hong Kong student, was arrested over an internet appeal that made “four requests” for guaranteed support for the affected families and responsibility for those at to blame, including any corrupt or responsible government officials.

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

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

Government Statement on Arrests

Questioned about the arrests, the secretary of security said there had been “inaccurate comments online” that were intended to threaten public security. “Therefore, we must take appropriate measures, including law enforcement measures,” the official told a media briefing. “Operational details cannot be revealed as they concern national security.”

Social Media Response and Comparisons Drawn

On Hong Kong social media, people condemned the arrests of civilians. “State security must be given precedence even if the dead are still trapped in the building,” said one.

Several users made parallels to the Chinese mainland. “There, such acts are called ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “It’s usually punished with severe penalties. Stability trumps everything.”

A different user said: “Since we are following mainland China’s methods, by dealing with the person who raises the question, nobody will venture to question, and therefore the city's administration 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 tragedy to incite “hostile” sentiment.

Before the arrests, officials had already begun showing increased vigilance to the community response. Following the suppression of earlier protests, civilian gatherings have been strictly regulated. In the immediate aftermath, volunteer supporters rapidly established aid operations, with many individuals employing cars and transit to bring in mountains of garments, supplies and other necessities for the survivors.

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

The petition over which the student was allegedly arrested was initiated late on Friday. Its “four demands” mirrored the terminology of past protest movements but did not advocate political change.

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

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