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Officials in Hong Kong have detained thirteen individuals on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the recent catastrophic blaze, amid growing public outcry over the arrests of civilians demanding responsibility.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Fatalities Climbs

Rescue teams persisted in combing through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in Tai Po on Monday, following the most fatal blaze in 75 years. The death toll reached one hundred and fifty-one and is expected to rise further as the search goes on. Approximately 40 people are currently missing.

Construction Work Connected with Cause of Blaze

The estate, home to nearly five thousand people, had been undergoing extensive renovations that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, anger has escalated over alleged past safety violations by the contractor working at the location and lax enforcement of safety codes, fuelled by disclosures that occupants had been voicing concerns over the renovations for a year.

Arrests Include Corporate Executives

On the afternoon of Monday, officials said anti-corruption authorities had arrested thirteen people over the tragedy so far, including the executives 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 twenty tested samples of the mesh netting used around the buildings did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Preliminary checks had found materials were compliant, but the spokesperson said the less expensive, noncompliant netting had been installed in areas hard to reach in order to avoid discovery, describing it as a “deplorable deed”.

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

Civilians Detained Amid Demands for Answers

As accusations of safety violations mount, alongside revelations that official bodies had issued several seemingly unenforced warnings, residents have questioned why no officials have yet faced consequences. Conversely, two members of the public were allegedly taken into custody 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 affected families and accountability for those at to blame, including any corrupt or responsible public servants.

Reports said the student was arrested for “inciting disaffection”. Law enforcement did not verify the arrest, saying only that they “will act according to actual circumstances and in compliance with the law”.

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

Official Response on Detentions

Asked about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “misleading statements on the internet” that were aimed to threaten national security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the secretary told a media briefing. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they concern national security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Made

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

Several users drew comparisons to mainland China. “There, such acts are called ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “They are typically met with severe penalties. Stability trumps everything.”

Another said: “Since we are aligning with mainland China’s methods, by targeting the person who asks questions, nobody will venture to question, and therefore the city's administration will have no issues.”

Heightened Sensitivity and Community Response

The arrests followed advisories by national security authorities that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be using the tragedy to stir up “hostile” sentiment.

Prior to the detentions, authorities had already demonstrated increased vigilance to the public reaction. Since the suppression of earlier protests, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the days following the fire, volunteer supporters quickly organized relief efforts, with hundreds of people employing vehicles and public transport to deliver large quantities of clothes, food and other essentials for the victims.

Nevertheless, by nightfall, armed police were patrolling the vicinity, and public authorities eventually took over from the community coordinators.

The petition over which the student was reportedly arrested was launched late on Friday. Its “four demands” echoed the language of previous protest movements but did not call for political change.

The student informed media that he was only “proposing very basic demands”.

“If these ideas are considered seditious or ‘transgressive’, then I feel I cannot foresee the outcomes of anything any more, and I can only do what I truly believe is correct,” he said.