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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody 13 people on suspected charges of involuntary manslaughter related to the recent devastating fire, amidst growing public outcry over the detentions of civilians demanding accountability.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Fatalities Rises

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in Tai Po on the start of the week, days after the most fatal blaze in seven and a half decades. The death toll reached 151 and is anticipated to climb further as the search goes on. Approximately forty people are currently unaccounted for.

Construction Work Connected with Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, home to nearly 5,000 people, had been in the midst of major refurbishment that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, anger has grown over reported previous safety breaches by the construction company working at the site and lax enforcement of standards, spurred on by disclosures that residents had been complaining about the renovations for a twelve months.

Arrests Include Company Directors

On Monday afternoon, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had arrested 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the executives and an technical advisor of a construction company, and had “immediately begun comprehensive investigation along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Substandard Materials Revealed

A top administrator stated that seven of twenty tested specimens of the scaffolding net used around the buildings did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Initial testing had found materials were up to code, but the spokesperson said the cheaper, noncompliant netting had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to evade detection, labeling it a “shameful act”.

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

Civilians Arrested Amid Calls for Answers

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

One individual, identified as a Hong Kong student, was arrested over an online petition that made “four requests” for guaranteed support for the affected families and accountability for those at fault, including any corrupt or culpable government officials.

Reports said the individual was arrested for “seditious intention”. Police did not verify the arrest, saying only that they “will take actions according to the situation and in compliance with the law”.

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

Government Statement on Arrests

Questioned about the detentions, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements on the internet” that were intended to undermine public security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including law enforcement measures,” the secretary told a media briefing. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they involve national security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Made

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

Several users drew comparisons to the Chinese mainland. “There, 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 targeting the person who raises the question, no one will venture to question, and therefore the city's administration will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

The detentions followed warnings by national security authorities that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be exploiting the incident to stir up “anti-China” sentiment.

Before the arrests, authorities had already begun showing heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Since the suppression of earlier protests, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the days following the fire, volunteer supporters quickly organized aid operations, with many individuals using vehicles and public transport to bring in large quantities of clothes, supplies and other essentials for the survivors.

Nevertheless, by evening, officers were patrolling the vicinity, and government officials soon took over from the volunteer organisers.

The appeal over which the individual was allegedly detained was initiated on Friday evening. Its “four demands” echoed the language of past protest movements but did not call for political change.

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

“If these ideas are deemed subversive or ‘transgressive’, then I feel I can’t predict the outcomes of any action any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is correct,” he stated.