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Authorities in the city have taken into custody thirteen individuals on suspected charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the recent devastating fire, amid growing public outcry over the detentions of civilians calling for responsibility.

Search Continues as Death Toll Rises

Rescue teams persisted in combing through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po on Monday, days after the city’s deadliest fire in 75 years. The number of fatalities rose to one hundred and fifty-one and is expected to rise further as the search continues. Approximately 40 people are currently missing.

Construction Work Linked to Fire’s Cause

The estate, home to almost five thousand people, had been in the midst of major refurbishment that have been associated with 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 standards, fuelled by disclosures that occupants had been complaining about the work for a year.

Those Detained Include Corporate Executives

On Monday afternoon, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had detained 13 people over the tragedy 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”.

Substandard Materials Uncovered

A senior official stated that seven of twenty tested samples of the mesh netting used around the towers did not meet fire-retardant standards. Preliminary checks had found materials were up to code, but the spokesperson said the less expensive, noncompliant 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 make money at the cost of people’s lives,” the official stated.

Civilians Detained Amid Calls for Accountability

As accusations of safety violations mount, alongside reports that government authorities had issued multiple seemingly ignored cautions, residents have questioned why no government figures have yet faced consequences. Instead, two members of the public were allegedly arrested by security forces.

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

Local media said the student was detained for “seditious intention”. Law enforcement did not verify the detention, saying only that they “will take actions according to actual circumstances and in compliance with the law”.

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

Official Response on Arrests

Questioned about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “misleading statements on the internet” that were intended to threaten public security. “As a result, we must take necessary steps, including police action,” the official told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they involve state security.”

Public Reaction and Parallels Drawn

On local online platforms, people criticised the arrests of civilians. “National security must be given precedence even if the dead are still trapped in the building,” said one.

Several users made parallels to mainland China. “The mainland, such acts are termed ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “It’s usually punished with severe penalties. Stability overrides everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are aligning with mainland China’s methods, by targeting the person who raises the question, nobody will dare to ask, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no issues.”

Increased Scrutiny and Volunteer Efforts

The arrests came after warnings by security officials that they would take action against anyone considered to be exploiting the incident to incite “hostile” feelings.

Prior to the arrests, authorities had already demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the community response. Following the quelling of earlier unrest, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the days following the fire, volunteer supporters rapidly established aid operations, with many individuals employing cars and transit to bring in mountains of garments, food and other necessities for the survivors.

However, by nightfall, armed police were monitoring the area, and government officials soon took over from the community coordinators.

The petition over which the individual was reportedly arrested was launched late on Friday. Its “four demands” echoed the terminology of previous campaigns but did not call for systemic reform.

The individual told reporters that he was only “putting forward fundamental requests”.

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