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Officials in Hong Kong have detained 13 people on suspected charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the recent devastating fire, amid growing criticism over the arrests of civilians demanding accountability.

Search Continues as Fatalities Climbs

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in the Tai Po district on Monday, days after 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 search goes on. Approximately 40 people are still unaccounted for.

Renovations Linked to Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, housing nearly 5,000 people, had been in the midst of extensive renovations that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, public fury has escalated over alleged past safety violations by the construction company working at the location and poor oversight of standards, fuelled by revelations that residents had been voicing concerns over the renovations for a year.

Those Detained Include Company Directors

On the afternoon of Monday, officials said the anti-graft agency had detained 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the executives and an engineering consultant of a contracting firm, and had “immediately begun a thorough probe along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Substandard Materials Revealed

A top administrator stated that 7 of twenty tested specimens of the mesh netting used around the buildings did not meet fire-retardant standards. Preliminary checks had found samples were up to code, but the official said the less expensive, substandard material had been installed in areas hard to reach in order to evade detection, describing it as a “shameful act”.

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

Civilians Detained Amid Demands for Accountability

As accusations of safety lapses grow, alongside reports that government authorities had issued several seemingly 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.

A person, identified as a Hong Kong student, was detained over an online petition that made “four demands” for guaranteed support for the affected families and accountability for those at to blame, including any corrupt or responsible government officials.

Reports said the individual was detained for “inciting disaffection”. Law enforcement did not verify the detention, saying only that they “will take actions according to the situation and in compliance with the legal framework”.

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

Government Statement on Detentions

Asked about the arrests, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements online” that were intended to threaten national security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the secretary told a press conference. “Operational details cannot be revealed as they involve state security.”

Social Media Response and Comparisons Made

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

Some commenters made parallels to mainland China. “There, these crimes are called ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “They are typically punished with heavy sentences. Social order overrides everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are aligning with mainland China’s methods, by targeting the person who asks questions, no one will venture to question, and therefore the city's administration will have no issues.”

Heightened Sensitivity and Volunteer Efforts

The arrests came after advisories by national security authorities that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be using the tragedy to incite “anti-China” feelings.

Prior to the arrests, officials had already begun showing increased vigilance to the public reaction. Since the suppression of earlier unrest, public assemblies have been strictly regulated. In the days following the fire, volunteer supporters rapidly established aid operations, with many individuals employing cars and transit to deliver mountains of clothes, supplies and other essentials for the survivors.

However, by evening, armed police were monitoring the area, and public authorities soon took over from the community coordinators.

The petition over which the individual was allegedly arrested was launched late on Friday. Its “four points” mirrored the terminology of previous campaigns but did not advocate political change.

The student told media that he was only “putting forward fundamental demands”.

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