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Authorities in the city have taken into custody 13 individuals on suspicion of manslaughter related to the recent catastrophic blaze, amid increasing public outcry over the arrests of citizens calling for accountability.

Search Continues as Death Toll Climbs

Emergency services continued to search through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po on Monday, following the city’s deadliest fire in seven and a half decades. The death toll reached 151 and is expected to rise higher as the operation goes on. About forty people are still unaccounted for.

Renovations Linked to Cause of Blaze

The housing complex, housing nearly five thousand people, had been undergoing major refurbishment that have been linked to 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 standards, fuelled by revelations that residents had been voicing concerns over the work for a year.

Arrests Include Company Directors

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

Safety Failures Revealed

A senior official 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 spokesperson said the cheaper, noncompliant material had been installed in areas hard to reach in order to avoid discovery, describing it as a “deplorable deed”.

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

Citizens Detained Amid Calls for Accountability

As allegations of safety violations grow, alongside reports that government authorities had issued multiple seemingly ignored cautions, the public have questioned why no officials have yet faced consequences. Instead, two members of the public were allegedly taken into custody by security forces.

One individual, named as a Hong Kong student, was detained over an online petition that made “four demands” for assured assistance for the victims and responsibility for those at to blame, including any corrupt or responsible government officials.

Local media said the individual was detained for “seditious intention”. Police did not confirm the arrest, saying only that they “will take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law”.

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

Government Statement on Arrests

Asked about the arrests, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements online” that were aimed to threaten national security. “Therefore, we must take necessary steps, including law enforcement measures,” the official told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be disclosed as they concern national security.”

Public Reaction and Parallels Drawn

On Hong Kong social media, people condemned the arrests of civilians. “State security must be prioritised even if the victims are still buried in the building,” said a comment.

Some commenters drew comparisons to mainland China. “The mainland, such acts are termed ‘creating disturbances’,” said a user. “It’s usually met with heavy sentences. Social order overrides everything.”

Another said: “Now that we are aligning with the mainland’s approach, by dealing with the person who asks questions, nobody will dare to ask, 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 take action against anyone deemed to be using the incident to incite “hostile” sentiment.

Prior to the arrests, authorities had already begun showing increased vigilance to the community response. Since the suppression of earlier protests, public assemblies have been tightly controlled. In the days following the fire, volunteer supporters quickly organized relief efforts, with hundreds of people employing vehicles and transit to bring in mountains of clothes, food and other essentials for the survivors.

However, by evening, armed police were monitoring the area, and public authorities eventually took over from the volunteer organisers.

The petition over which the individual was reportedly arrested was initiated late on Friday. Its “four demands” echoed 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 requests”.

“Should these suggestions are considered subversive or ‘transgressive’, then I believe I can’t predict the consequences of anything any more, and I can only do what I truly believe is right,” he stated.