🔗 Share this article

Officials in Hong Kong have taken into custody thirteen individuals on suspected charges of manslaughter in connection with the recent catastrophic blaze, amid increasing criticism over the arrests of civilians demanding responsibility.

Search Continues as Fatalities Rises

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court estate in the Tai Po district on Monday, days after the city’s deadliest fire in seven and a half decades. The death toll reached one hundred and fifty-one and is expected to rise higher as the search continues. About forty people are currently unaccounted for.

Construction Work Linked to Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, home to nearly 5,000 people, had been undergoing extensive renovations that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, anger has escalated over reported previous safety breaches by the contractor working at the location and poor oversight of safety codes, fuelled by disclosures that residents had been voicing concerns over the renovations for a twelve months.

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 contracting firm, and had “promptly initiated a thorough probe along the lines of manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Revealed

A senior official stated that seven of twenty tested specimens of the mesh netting used around the buildings did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Preliminary checks had found materials were compliant, but the spokesperson said the less expensive, substandard material had been put in areas hard to reach in order to evade detection, describing it as a “deplorable deed”.

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

Citizens Arrested Amid Demands for Answers

As allegations of safety violations grow, alongside revelations that official bodies had issued several apparently unenforced warnings, residents have questioned why no government figures have yet been held accountable. Conversely, two members of the public were reportedly taken into custody by security forces.

One individual, named as a Hong Kong student, was detained over an online petition that made “four requests” for guaranteed support for the victims and accountability for those at fault, including any corrupt or responsible government officials.

Reports said the student was detained for “seditious intention”. Police did not confirm the detention, saying only that they “will act according to actual circumstances and in compliance with the law”.

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

Government Statement on Detentions

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

Social Media Response and Parallels Made

On local online platforms, people condemned the detention of citizens. “State security must be given precedence even if the victims are still trapped in the structure,” said one.

Several users made parallels to the Chinese mainland. “There, such acts are called ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “They are typically punished with severe penalties. Stability trumps everything.”

Another said: “Since we are aligning with mainland China’s approach, by targeting the person who raises the question, no one will dare to ask, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Volunteer Efforts

The detentions came after warnings by security officials that they would take action against anyone deemed to be using the incident to stir up “hostile” sentiment.

Before the arrests, authorities had already demonstrated increased vigilance to the community response. Following the quelling of earlier unrest, civilian gatherings have been strictly regulated. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers quickly organized relief efforts, with many individuals using cars and transit to deliver large quantities of clothes, supplies and other essentials for the victims.

Nevertheless, by nightfall, armed police were patrolling the area, and government officials eventually took over from the community coordinators.

The petition over which the student was allegedly arrested was initiated on Friday evening. Its “four demands” echoed the language of previous protest movements but did not advocate systemic reform.

The student informed media that he was only “putting forward 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.