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Authorities in the city have taken into custody thirteen people on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter related to the recent catastrophic blaze, amidst increasing public outcry over the arrests of civilians demanding responsibility.

Search Continues as Fatalities Rises

Rescue teams persisted in combing through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court estate in the Tai Po district on the start of the week, following the most fatal blaze in seven and a half decades. The death toll rose to 151 and is expected to rise further as the operation continues. Approximately 40 people are currently unaccounted for.

Construction Work Linked to Cause of Blaze

The housing complex, home to almost five thousand 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 past safety violations by the construction company working at the site and lax enforcement of standards, spurred on by disclosures that occupants had been complaining about the work for a year.

Arrests Include Corporate Executives

On Monday afternoon, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had detained 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company, and had “immediately begun comprehensive investigation along the lines of manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Revealed

A senior official stated that 7 of 20 tested samples of the scaffolding net used around the buildings did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Initial testing had found materials were compliant, but the spokesperson said the cheaper, substandard netting had been put in areas difficult to access in order to avoid discovery, labeling it a “shameful act”.

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

Citizens Detained Amid Demands for Accountability

As accusations of safety violations grow, alongside reports that government authorities had issued multiple seemingly ignored cautions, residents have asked why no officials have yet been held accountable. Conversely, two members of the public were reportedly taken into custody by security forces.

A person, named as a local student, was detained over an internet appeal that made “four demands” for assured assistance for the affected families and accountability for those at fault, including any negligent or responsible government officials.

Local media said the individual was arrested for “seditious intention”. Police did not verify the detention, saying only that they “will act according to the situation and in compliance with the legal framework”.

News outlets also covered the detention of a ex-local representative.

Government Statement on Arrests

Asked about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “misleading statements online” that were aimed to undermine public security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the secretary told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they concern state security.”

Social Media Response and Comparisons Made

On local online platforms, people condemned the arrests of civilians. “State security must be prioritised even if the dead are still buried in the building,” said one.

Some commenters made parallels to the Chinese mainland. “There, such acts are termed ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “They are typically met with severe penalties. Stability overrides everything.”

A different user said: “Since we are aligning with the mainland’s methods, by targeting the person who asks questions, no one will venture to question, and thus the city's administration will have no problems.”

Heightened Sensitivity and Community Response

The detentions came after advisories by national security authorities that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be exploiting the tragedy to incite “anti-China” sentiment.

Before the arrests, authorities had already begun showing heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Following the quelling of earlier unrest, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers quickly organized aid operations, with hundreds of people using vehicles and transit to deliver large quantities of clothes, food and other essentials for the victims.

However, by nightfall, officers were patrolling the vicinity, and public authorities eventually assumed control from the community coordinators.

The petition over which the student was allegedly arrested was launched late on Friday. Its “four demands” echoed the terminology of past protest movements but did not advocate systemic reform.

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

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