🔗 Share this article

Authorities in Hong Kong have detained 13 individuals on suspected charges of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the recent devastating fire, amid growing criticism over the arrests of civilians calling for responsibility.

Search Continues as Fatalities Rises

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court estate in Tai Po on the start of the week, 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 continues. Approximately 40 people are currently missing.

Construction Work Connected with Cause of Blaze

The housing complex, housing almost five thousand 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 contractor working at the site and poor oversight of safety codes, spurred on by disclosures that occupants had been complaining about the renovations for a year.

Arrests Include Company Directors

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

Safety Failures Uncovered

A top administrator stated that 7 of twenty tested samples of the mesh netting used around the buildings did not meet fire-retardant standards. Initial testing had found samples were up to code, but the spokesperson said the cheaper, substandard material had been installed in areas hard to reach in order to avoid discovery, describing it as a “deplorable deed”.

“They just wanted to profit at the expense of human lives,” he said.

Citizens Detained Amid Demands for Accountability

As accusations of safety lapses mount, alongside reports that government authorities had issued several seemingly ignored cautions, residents have asked why no government figures have yet faced consequences. Conversely, two members of the public were reportedly taken into custody by national security police.

One individual, identified as a local student, was detained over an online petition that made “four demands” for assured assistance for the victims and responsibility for those at fault, including any negligent or responsible government officials.

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

News outlets also reported the arrest of a ex-local representative.

Government Statement on Detentions

Questioned about the detentions, the security chief said there had been “misleading statements on the internet” that were intended to threaten national security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including law enforcement measures,” the official told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they concern national security.”

Public Reaction and Comparisons Drawn

On local online platforms, people criticised the arrests of civilians. “State security must be prioritised even if the dead are still buried in the building,” said a comment.

Some commenters drew comparisons to the Chinese mainland. “There, such acts are called ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “They are typically punished with heavy sentences. Stability trumps everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are aligning with the mainland’s approach, by dealing with the individual who raises the question, nobody will venture to question, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no issues.”

Increased Scrutiny and Community Response

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

Prior to the arrests, authorities had already begun showing increased vigilance to the community response. Since the quelling of earlier unrest, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers quickly organized relief efforts, with hundreds of people using cars and transit to deliver mountains of garments, supplies and other necessities for the survivors.

Nevertheless, by evening, officers were monitoring the area, and public authorities eventually assumed control from the volunteer organisers.

The petition over which the individual was reportedly detained was launched on Friday evening. Its “four demands” echoed the language of past protest movements but did not call for systemic reform.

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

“If these ideas are considered subversive or ‘transgressive’, then I feel I can’t predict the outcomes of anything any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is correct,” he said.