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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody 13 people on suspicion of manslaughter related to the recent devastating fire, amid growing criticism over the detentions of civilians calling for accountability.

Search Continues as Fatalities Rises

Emergency services continued to search through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in Tai Po 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 search continues. Approximately forty people are currently missing.

Construction Work Linked to Cause of Blaze

The housing complex, housing almost five thousand people, had been undergoing major refurbishment that have been associated with the fire’s cause. In the wake of the tragedy, public fury has grown over alleged previous safety breaches by the construction company working at the site and poor oversight of safety codes, spurred on by revelations that residents had been voicing concerns over the work for a year.

Those Detained Include Company Directors

On Monday afternoon, authorities said the anti-graft agency had arrested thirteen people over the disaster so far, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a contracting firm, and had “promptly initiated a thorough probe along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Substandard Materials Revealed

A top administrator stated that 7 of 20 tested samples of the scaffolding net used around the towers did not meet fire-retardant standards. Initial testing had found materials were compliant, but the official said the cheaper, substandard material had been installed in areas hard to reach in order to avoid discovery, labeling it a “deplorable deed”.

“Their sole aim was to profit at the cost of people’s lives,” he said.

Citizens Detained Amid Demands for Accountability

As accusations of safety lapses grow, alongside revelations that official bodies had issued multiple apparently unenforced warnings, residents have questioned why no officials have yet been held accountable. Instead, two civilians were allegedly taken into custody by national security police.

One individual, named as a local student, was arrested over an online petition that made “four requests” for guaranteed support for the affected families and responsibility for those at fault, including any negligent or responsible public servants.

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

News outlets also reported the detention of a former district councillor.

Government Statement on Detentions

Questioned about the detentions, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements on the internet” that were intended to threaten public 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 state security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Made

On Hong Kong social media, people condemned the detention of citizens. “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 termed ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said a user. “They are typically met with severe penalties. Social order trumps everything.”

Another said: “Now that we are following the mainland’s approach, by targeting the individual who asks questions, nobody will dare to ask, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no issues.”

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

The detentions came after advisories by national security authorities that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be using the incident to stir up “hostile” feelings.

Before the arrests, authorities had already demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Since the quelling of earlier protests, public assemblies have been strictly regulated. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers rapidly established relief efforts, with many individuals using vehicles and public transport to bring in large quantities of clothes, food and other essentials for the survivors.

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

The appeal over which the student was reportedly detained was launched late on Friday. Its “four demands” mirrored the language of past campaigns but did not advocate systemic reform.

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

“If these ideas are deemed subversive or ‘crossing the line’, then I feel I cannot foresee the consequences of anything any more, and I can only do what I truly believe is correct,” he stated.