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Officials in Hong Kong have taken into custody thirteen people on suspected charges of manslaughter related to last week’s devastating fire, amidst increasing public outcry over the arrests of civilians calling for accountability.

Search Continues as Fatalities Climbs

Rescue teams persisted in combing through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court estate in the Tai Po district on the start of the week, days after 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 further as the operation goes on. Approximately forty people are still unaccounted for.

Construction Work Connected with Cause of Blaze

The estate, home to nearly 5,000 people, had been in the midst of major refurbishment that have been linked to the origin of the blaze. In the aftermath, public fury has grown over reported previous safety breaches by the contractor working at the site and poor oversight of safety codes, spurred on by revelations that residents had been complaining about the work for a year.

Arrests Include Company Directors

On Monday afternoon, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had arrested 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the executives and an engineering consultant of a contracting firm, and had “immediately begun comprehensive investigation along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Substandard Materials Revealed

A senior official stated that 7 of twenty tested samples of the scaffolding net used around the towers did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Initial testing had found materials were up to code, but the spokesperson said the cheaper, noncompliant netting had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to avoid discovery, describing it as a “shameful act”.

“Their sole aim was to make money at the expense of people’s lives,” the official stated.

Citizens Arrested Amid Demands for Accountability

As accusations of safety violations grow, alongside revelations that official bodies had issued several apparently unenforced warnings, residents have asked why no officials have yet faced consequences. Instead, two civilians were allegedly arrested by national security police.

One individual, named as a local student, was detained over an internet appeal that made “four demands” for assured assistance for the victims and accountability for those at to blame, including any corrupt or culpable government officials.

Reports 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 legal framework”.

News outlets 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 online” that were aimed to undermine public security. “Therefore, we must take necessary steps, including police action,” the secretary told a media briefing. “Operational details cannot be disclosed as they concern state security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Drawn

On local online platforms, people condemned the arrests of civilians. “National security must be given precedence even if the victims are still buried in the building,” said a comment.

Several users made parallels to mainland China. “The mainland, such acts are called ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “It’s usually met with heavy sentences. Stability overrides everything.”

Another said: “Since we are following mainland China’s methods, by targeting the person who raises the question, no one will venture to question, and thus Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Volunteer Efforts

The detentions came after advisories by security officials that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be using the incident to stir up “anti-China” sentiment.

Before the arrests, authorities had already demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the community response. Since the quelling of earlier protests, civilian gatherings have been strictly regulated. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers rapidly established relief efforts, with hundreds of people employing cars and transit to bring in large quantities of clothes, supplies and other essentials for the survivors.

However, by evening, officers were monitoring the area, and government officials soon assumed control from the community coordinators.

The appeal over which the student was reportedly arrested was initiated late on Friday. Its “four points” mirrored the terminology of past campaigns but did not call for political change.

The student told media that he was only “proposing very basic requests”.

“If these ideas are considered seditious or ‘crossing the line’, then I feel I cannot foresee the outcomes of anything any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is right,” he said.