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Authorities in the city have taken into custody thirteen people on suspected charges of manslaughter in connection with last week’s catastrophic blaze, amidst growing public outcry over the arrests of citizens calling for responsibility.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Death Toll Climbs

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 city’s deadliest fire in 75 years. The number of fatalities reached 151 and is anticipated to climb further as the operation goes on. Approximately forty people are still missing.

Construction Work Connected with Fire’s Cause

The estate, housing nearly five thousand people, had been in the midst of major refurbishment that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, public fury has grown over alleged past safety violations by the contractor working at the site and lax enforcement of safety codes, spurred on by disclosures that residents had been voicing concerns over the work for a year.

Those Detained Include Company Directors

On Monday afternoon, officials said anti-corruption authorities had arrested thirteen people over the tragedy so far, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company, and had “promptly initiated comprehensive investigation along the lines of manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Revealed

A senior official stated that seven of 20 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 official said the cheaper, substandard netting had been put in areas difficult to access in order to avoid discovery, labeling it a “shameful act”.

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

Civilians Detained Amid Demands for Answers

As allegations of safety violations mount, alongside revelations that government authorities had issued several apparently unenforced warnings, residents have asked why no government figures have yet faced consequences. Conversely, two members of the public were allegedly arrested by national security police.

A person, identified as a Hong Kong student, was detained over an online petition that made “four requests” for guaranteed support for the victims and responsibility for those at fault, including any negligent or responsible public servants.

Reports said the student was detained for “inciting disaffection”. Law enforcement did not verify the arrest, saying only that they “will act according to the situation and in compliance with the law”.

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

Government Statement on Detentions

Questioned about the arrests, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements online” that were intended to undermine national security. “Therefore, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the secretary told a media briefing. “Specifics of the operation cannot be disclosed as they involve state security.”

Social Media Response and Parallels Drawn

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

Several users drew comparisons to the Chinese mainland. “There, these crimes are termed ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “It’s usually met with severe penalties. Stability trumps everything.”

Another said: “Now that we are following the mainland’s approach, by targeting the individual who raises the question, nobody will venture to question, and therefore the city's administration will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

The detentions came after warnings by national security authorities that they would crack down on anyone considered to be exploiting the tragedy to stir up “hostile” sentiment.

Prior to the detentions, authorities had already demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Since the quelling of earlier unrest, public assemblies have been tightly controlled. In the immediate aftermath, volunteer supporters quickly organized relief efforts, with hundreds of people using cars and transit to bring in large quantities of clothes, supplies and other essentials for the victims.

However, by evening, officers were monitoring the area, and government officials soon took over from the community coordinators.

The petition over which the student was allegedly detained was launched on Friday evening. Its “four demands” mirrored the language of previous protest movements but did not advocate political change.

The individual informed media that he was only “proposing very basic requests”.

“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 sincerely think is correct,” he said.