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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody thirteen individuals on suspected charges of involuntary manslaughter related to last week’s catastrophic blaze, amidst increasing public outcry over the detentions of citizens demanding accountability.

Search Continues as Death Toll Rises

Rescue teams persisted in combing through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court estate in the Tai Po district on Monday, following the city’s deadliest fire in 75 years. The death toll rose to 151 and is expected to rise higher as the search goes on. Approximately 40 people are still unaccounted for.

Construction Work Connected with Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, home to almost five thousand people, had been undergoing major refurbishment that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the wake of the tragedy, anger has grown over alleged past safety violations by the contractor working at the site and lax enforcement of safety codes, fuelled by disclosures that residents had been voicing concerns over the renovations for a year.

Those Detained Include Company Directors

On the afternoon of Monday, officials said anti-corruption authorities had arrested 13 people over the disaster so far, including the directors and an technical advisor of a contracting firm, and had “immediately begun a thorough probe along the lines of manslaughter”.

Substandard Materials Uncovered

A senior official stated that 7 of twenty tested samples of the scaffolding net used around the buildings did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Preliminary checks had found materials were up to code, but the spokesperson said the cheaper, substandard netting had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to evade detection, labeling it a “shameful act”.

“They just wanted to profit at the cost of human lives,” the official stated.

Civilians Detained Amid Demands for Answers

As accusations of safety lapses mount, alongside reports that official bodies had issued several seemingly unenforced warnings, residents have questioned why no officials have yet faced consequences. Instead, two members of the public were reportedly taken into custody by security forces.

A person, identified 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 negligent or responsible public servants.

Reports said the student was detained for “inciting disaffection”. Police did not verify the arrest, saying only that they “will act according to the situation and in accordance with the law”.

News outlets also covered the detention of a ex-local representative.

Official Response on Arrests

Questioned about the detentions, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements online” that were aimed to undermine national security. “Therefore, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the official told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they concern national security.”

Social Media Response and Parallels Drawn

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

Several users drew comparisons to mainland China. “There, such acts are called ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “They are typically punished with severe penalties. Stability trumps everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are aligning with mainland China’s approach, by dealing with the individual who raises the question, no one will venture to question, and therefore the city's administration will have no problems.”

Heightened Sensitivity and Community Response

The detentions came after advisories by security officials that they would crack down on anyone considered to be exploiting the incident to incite “anti-China” sentiment.

Before the detentions, authorities had already begun showing increased vigilance to the community response. Since the suppression of earlier protests, public assemblies have been strictly regulated. In the days following the fire, volunteer supporters quickly organized aid operations, with hundreds of people using cars and public transport to bring in large quantities of clothes, food and other essentials for the victims.

However, by nightfall, officers were patrolling the area, and public authorities eventually took over from the volunteer organisers.

The appeal over which the individual was reportedly arrested was launched on Friday evening. Its “four demands” mirrored the terminology of previous campaigns but did not advocate political change.

The student informed media that he was only “proposing fundamental requests”.

“Should these suggestions are deemed subversive or ‘crossing the line’, then I believe I can’t predict the consequences of any action any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is correct,” he said.