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Authorities in the city have taken into custody 13 individuals on suspected charges of manslaughter in connection with last week’s devastating fire, amid increasing public outcry over the arrests of citizens demanding accountability.

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 the Tai Po district on Monday, following the city’s deadliest fire in seven and a half decades. The death toll rose to one hundred and fifty-one and is expected to rise higher as the search continues. Approximately forty people are currently unaccounted for.

Renovations Linked to Cause of Blaze

The housing complex, home to nearly five thousand people, had been in the midst of major refurbishment that have been linked to the origin of the blaze. In the wake of the tragedy, public fury has escalated over alleged past safety violations by the contractor working at the site and poor oversight of standards, fuelled by disclosures that residents had been voicing concerns over the work for a twelve months.

Those Detained Include Corporate Executives

On the afternoon of Monday, officials said anti-corruption authorities had detained 13 people over the disaster so far, including the directors and an technical advisor of a construction company, and had “promptly initiated comprehensive investigation along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Substandard Materials Revealed

A top administrator stated that 7 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 official said the cheaper, noncompliant material had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to evade detection, describing it as a “shameful act”.

“They just wanted to make money at the cost of people’s lives,” the official stated.

Citizens Arrested Amid Demands for Accountability

As allegations of safety lapses mount, alongside reports that government authorities had issued several seemingly unenforced warnings, residents have questioned why no officials have yet been held accountable. Instead, two members of the public were reportedly taken into custody by national security police.

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

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

Local media also covered the detention of a former district councillor.

Government Statement on Arrests

Questioned about the detentions, the secretary of security said there had been “inaccurate comments on the internet” that were intended to threaten public security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including law enforcement measures,” the official told a media briefing. “Operational details cannot be disclosed as they concern national security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Drawn

On Hong Kong social media, people criticised the arrests of civilians. “National security must be prioritised even if the dead are still buried in the structure,” said one.

Several users made parallels to the Chinese mainland. “There, such acts are called ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “It’s usually punished with heavy sentences. Stability overrides everything.”

A different user said: “Since we are aligning with the mainland’s methods, by targeting the individual who asks questions, nobody will dare to ask, and thus the city's administration will have no issues.”

Heightened Sensitivity and Community Response

The arrests followed warnings by national security authorities that they would take action against anyone deemed to be using the incident to incite “anti-China” feelings.

Prior to the detentions, authorities had already begun showing increased vigilance to the public reaction. Following the quelling of earlier unrest, public assemblies have been strictly regulated. In the immediate aftermath, volunteer supporters quickly organized aid operations, with many individuals employing cars and public transport to deliver mountains of clothes, supplies and other essentials for the survivors.

However, by nightfall, officers were monitoring the vicinity, and public authorities soon took over from the community coordinators.

The appeal over which the student was reportedly arrested was initiated late on Friday. Its “four points” mirrored the language of previous campaigns but did not advocate systemic reform.

The individual told media that he was only “putting forward fundamental demands”.

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