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Authorities in Hong Kong have taken into custody thirteen people on suspected charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the recent catastrophic blaze, amidst growing criticism over the arrests of civilians calling for responsibility.

Search Continues as Death Toll Rises

Emergency services persisted in combing through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in Tai Po on Monday, days after the most fatal blaze in seven and a half decades. The death toll reached 151 and is anticipated to climb higher as the operation goes on. About forty people are still missing.

Construction Work Linked to Cause of Blaze

The estate, housing nearly 5,000 people, had been undergoing extensive renovations that have been linked to the origin of the blaze. In the aftermath, public fury has grown over alleged past safety violations by the construction company working at the site and lax enforcement of safety codes, fuelled by disclosures that residents had been voicing concerns over the work for a twelve months.

Arrests Include Corporate Executives

On Monday afternoon, officials said anti-corruption authorities had detained 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the directors and an technical advisor of a contracting firm, and had “promptly initiated comprehensive investigation along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Substandard Materials Uncovered

A senior official stated that seven of twenty tested samples of the mesh netting used around the towers did not meet fire-retardant standards. Preliminary checks had found materials were up to code, but the spokesperson said the less expensive, noncompliant material had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to evade detection, labeling it a “shameful act”.

“Their sole aim was to profit at the cost of human lives,” the official stated.

Civilians Detained Amid Calls for Answers

As accusations of safety lapses grow, alongside reports that government authorities had issued multiple apparently ignored cautions, the public have questioned why no government figures have yet faced consequences. Instead, two members of the public were reportedly taken into custody by national security police.

One individual, identified as a Hong Kong student, was detained over an online petition that made “four requests” for guaranteed support for the victims and responsibility for those at fault, including any negligent or responsible public servants.

Local media said the student was arrested for “seditious intention”. Police did not verify the detention, saying only that they “will take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law”.

Local media also reported the detention of a former district councillor.

Government Statement on Arrests

Questioned about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “misleading statements online” that were intended to threaten public security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the secretary told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they involve national security.”

Social Media Response and Comparisons Made

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

Several users drew comparisons to mainland China. “There, such acts are termed ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “They are typically punished with severe penalties. Stability overrides everything.”

A different user said: “Since we are following the mainland’s methods, by dealing with the individual who asks questions, nobody will dare to ask, and thus Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

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

Before the detentions, authorities had already begun showing increased vigilance to the community response. Following the suppression of earlier unrest, public assemblies have been tightly controlled. In the days following the fire, community volunteers rapidly established aid operations, with hundreds of people using vehicles and transit to bring in mountains of clothes, food and other necessities for the survivors.

Nevertheless, by evening, officers were monitoring the vicinity, and public authorities soon took over from the volunteer organisers.

The petition over which the individual was reportedly detained was initiated late on Friday. Its “four points” echoed the terminology of previous protest movements but did not call for systemic reform.

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

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