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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody 13 individuals on suspicion of manslaughter related to last week’s catastrophic blaze, amid increasing public outcry over the arrests of civilians demanding responsibility.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Death Toll Climbs

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in the Tai Po district on the start of the week, days after the city’s deadliest fire in 75 years. The number of fatalities rose to 151 and is anticipated to climb further as the search continues. About forty people are currently unaccounted for.

Construction Work Linked to Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, home to nearly five thousand people, had been in the midst of extensive renovations that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, public fury has grown over alleged previous safety breaches by the contractor working at the site and poor oversight of safety codes, fuelled by disclosures that residents had been complaining about the work for a twelve months.

Those Detained Include Company Directors

On Monday afternoon, officials said anti-corruption authorities had detained thirteen people over the disaster so far, including the directors and an technical advisor of a contracting firm, and had “promptly initiated comprehensive investigation along the lines of involuntary 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 spokesperson said the cheaper, substandard material had been put in areas hard to reach in order to evade detection, describing it as a “shameful act”.

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

Civilians Detained Amid Calls for Answers

As allegations of safety lapses mount, alongside revelations that government authorities had issued several seemingly ignored cautions, residents have asked why no government figures have yet faced consequences. Instead, two civilians were reportedly arrested by security forces.

A person, identified as a local student, was detained over an internet appeal that made “four demands” for guaranteed support for the victims and accountability for those at to blame, including any negligent or culpable public servants.

Local media said the student was detained for “seditious intention”. Police did not confirm the detention, saying only that they “will take actions according to the situation and in compliance with the law”.

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

Government Statement on Arrests

Questioned about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “misleading statements online” that were aimed to threaten national security. “As a result, we must take necessary steps, including law enforcement measures,” the official told a media briefing. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they concern state security.”

Social Media Response and Parallels Made

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

Some commenters made parallels to mainland China. “There, these crimes are called ‘creating disturbances’,” said a user. “They are typically punished with severe penalties. Social order trumps everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are aligning with the mainland’s approach, by targeting the individual who asks questions, no one will venture to question, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no issues.”

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

The detentions came after warnings by security officials that they would take action against anyone considered to be using the tragedy to incite “anti-China” sentiment.

Before the detentions, officials had already begun showing heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Since the quelling of earlier unrest, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the days following the fire, community volunteers rapidly established aid operations, with many individuals using cars and public transport to bring in large quantities of clothes, supplies and other essentials for the victims.

Nevertheless, by nightfall, armed police were monitoring the area, and public authorities soon took over from the community coordinators.

The appeal over which the student was reportedly detained was launched late on Friday. Its “four points” echoed the language of past campaigns but did not call for political change.

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

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