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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody 13 people on suspected charges of manslaughter related to last week’s devastating fire, amid increasing public outcry over the detentions of civilians calling for accountability.

Search Continues as Death Toll Rises

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court estate in the Tai Po district on Monday, following the most fatal blaze in seven and a half decades. The death toll reached one hundred and fifty-one and is expected to rise higher as the operation continues. About forty people are currently unaccounted for.

Renovations Linked to Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, home to nearly 5,000 people, had been in the midst of major refurbishment that have been associated with the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, public fury has grown over reported previous safety breaches by the construction company working at the location and lax enforcement of standards, spurred on by revelations that occupants had been complaining about the renovations for a year.

Arrests Include Company Directors

On the afternoon of Monday, officials said anti-corruption authorities had detained 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the executives 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 senior official stated that seven of twenty tested specimens 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 official said the less expensive, 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 profit at the cost of human lives,” the official stated.

Citizens Detained Amid Calls for Answers

As allegations of safety violations mount, alongside reports that government authorities had issued several apparently unenforced warnings, the public have questioned why no officials have yet been held accountable. Conversely, two civilians were reportedly arrested by security forces.

A person, named as a local student, was detained over an internet appeal that made “four demands” for guaranteed support for the affected families and responsibility for those at fault, including any negligent or culpable government officials.

Reports said the student was detained for “seditious intention”. Law enforcement did not verify the arrest, saying only that they “will take actions according to the situation and in accordance with the legal framework”.

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

Official Response on Arrests

Asked about the arrests, the security chief said there had been “misleading statements on the internet” that were aimed to undermine public security. “Therefore, we must take appropriate measures, including law enforcement measures,” the secretary told a press conference. “Operational details cannot be revealed as they involve national security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Drawn

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

Some commenters made parallels to the Chinese mainland. “The mainland, these crimes are called ‘creating disturbances’,” said a user. “They are typically punished with severe penalties. Stability overrides everything.”

Another said: “Since 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 issues.”

Heightened Sensitivity and Community Response

The arrests came after warnings by security officials that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be using the tragedy to incite “hostile” feelings.

Before the arrests, authorities had already begun showing heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Since the suppression of earlier unrest, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the days following the fire, volunteer supporters quickly organized relief efforts, with hundreds of people using cars and public transport to bring in mountains of garments, food and other necessities for the victims.

However, by nightfall, armed police were patrolling the area, and public authorities eventually assumed control from the volunteer organisers.

The petition over which the student was reportedly detained was initiated on Friday evening. Its “four points” mirrored the terminology of past protest movements but did not advocate political change.

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

“Should these suggestions are deemed seditious or ‘transgressive’, then I feel I can’t predict the consequences of any action any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is correct,” he stated.