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Officials in Hong Kong have detained 13 individuals on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the recent catastrophic blaze, amidst growing criticism over the detentions of citizens calling for accountability.

Search Continues as Death Toll Rises

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in the Tai Po district on Monday, following the most fatal blaze in seven and a half decades. The number of fatalities reached one hundred and fifty-one and is anticipated to climb higher as the search continues. About forty people are currently missing.

Renovations Linked to Cause of Blaze

The estate, housing nearly five thousand people, had been undergoing major refurbishment that have been associated with the origin of the blaze. In the wake of the tragedy, anger has grown over reported past safety violations by the contractor working at the location and lax enforcement of safety codes, spurred on by disclosures that residents had been voicing concerns over the work for a year.

Those Detained Include Corporate Executives

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

Substandard Materials Revealed

A senior official stated that 7 of twenty tested specimens of the scaffolding net used around the buildings did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Preliminary checks had found samples were up to code, but the spokesperson said the cheaper, noncompliant netting had been put in areas hard to reach in order to evade detection, labeling it a “deplorable deed”.

“Their sole aim was to make money at the cost of people’s lives,” the official stated.

Citizens Arrested Amid Calls for Answers

As allegations of safety lapses grow, alongside reports that official bodies had issued several apparently unenforced warnings, residents have asked why no officials have yet been held accountable. Instead, two civilians were reportedly taken into custody by national security police.

One individual, identified 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 corrupt or responsible government officials.

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

News outlets also covered the arrest of a former district councillor.

Official Response on Arrests

Asked about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “inaccurate comments online” that were intended to undermine public security. “Therefore, we must take necessary steps, including police action,” the secretary told a media briefing. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they involve national security.”

Social Media Response and Parallels Made

On Hong Kong social media, people criticised the detention of citizens. “State security must be given precedence even if the victims are still trapped in the building,” said one.

Some commenters made parallels to mainland China. “There, these crimes are termed ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “They are typically punished with severe penalties. Social order overrides everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are aligning with mainland China’s approach, by dealing with the individual who asks questions, no one will dare to ask, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

The arrests came after warnings by national security authorities that they would take action against anyone deemed to be using the tragedy to stir up “anti-China” feelings.

Before the arrests, officials had already demonstrated increased vigilance to the public reaction. Following the suppression of earlier protests, public assemblies have been tightly controlled. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers quickly organized relief efforts, with hundreds of people using vehicles and public transport to deliver large quantities of garments, food and other essentials for the survivors.

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

The petition over which the individual was reportedly detained was initiated late on Friday. Its “four points” mirrored the terminology of previous campaigns but did not call for political change.

The individual told reporters that he was only “proposing fundamental requests”.

“If these ideas are considered subversive or ‘crossing the line’, then I believe I can’t predict the outcomes of any action any more, and I can only do what I truly believe is correct,” he said.