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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody thirteen people on suspected charges of manslaughter in connection with last week’s devastating fire, amid increasing criticism over the arrests of citizens calling for accountability.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Fatalities Rises

Emergency services persisted in combing through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po on Monday, days after the city’s deadliest fire in seven and a half decades. The number of fatalities rose to 151 and is expected to rise higher as the search goes on. About 40 people are currently unaccounted for.

Construction Work Connected with Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, housing almost five thousand people, had been in the midst of major refurbishment that have been associated with the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, anger has grown over alleged previous safety breaches by the contractor working at the site and poor oversight of safety codes, spurred on by revelations that occupants had been complaining about the work for a year.

Arrests Include Company Directors

On Monday afternoon, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had arrested thirteen people over the tragedy so far, including the directors and an technical advisor of a contracting firm, and had “promptly initiated a thorough probe along the lines of manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Revealed

A senior official stated that seven of 20 tested samples of the mesh netting used around the towers did not meet fire-retardant standards. Initial testing had found materials were up to code, but the official said the less expensive, substandard material had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to evade detection, describing it as a “shameful act”.

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

Civilians Arrested Amid Calls for Answers

As accusations of safety violations grow, alongside reports that official bodies had issued several seemingly unenforced warnings, the public have questioned why no government figures have yet been held accountable. Instead, two civilians were reportedly arrested by security forces.

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

Local media said the student was detained for “inciting disaffection”. Police did not confirm the arrest, saying only that they “will act according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law”.

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

Government Statement on Detentions

Asked about the arrests, 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 secretary told a media briefing. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they involve national security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Made

On local online platforms, people criticised the detention of citizens. “State security must be prioritised even if the victims are still buried in the structure,” said one.

Some commenters drew comparisons to mainland China. “The mainland, such acts are called ‘creating disturbances’,” said a user. “They are typically punished with heavy sentences. Social order overrides everything.”

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

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

The arrests came after advisories by national security authorities that they would take action against anyone considered to be using the tragedy to stir up “hostile” feelings.

Before the detentions, officials had already begun showing heightened sensitivity to the community response. Since the quelling of earlier protests, public assemblies have been tightly controlled. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers rapidly established aid operations, with many individuals using cars and transit to deliver mountains of clothes, food and other necessities for the victims.

However, by nightfall, armed police were monitoring the vicinity, and government officials eventually assumed control from the volunteer organisers.

The appeal over which the individual was allegedly arrested was initiated late on Friday. Its “four demands” mirrored the language of previous protest movements but did not call for systemic reform.

The individual told reporters that he was only “putting forward very basic demands”.

“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 truly believe is correct,” he stated.