🔗 Share this article

Authorities in Hong Kong have detained thirteen people on suspected charges of manslaughter related to last week’s catastrophic blaze, amidst increasing criticism over the detentions of civilians demanding accountability.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Death Toll Rises

Emergency services continued to search through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in the Tai Po district on the start of the week, 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 further as the operation continues. Approximately 40 people are still unaccounted for.

Renovations Connected with Fire’s Cause

The estate, housing almost 5,000 people, had been in the midst of extensive renovations that have been associated with the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, public fury has escalated over alleged previous safety breaches by the construction company working at the location and lax enforcement of safety codes, fuelled by revelations that residents had been complaining about the renovations for a twelve months.

Those Detained Include Company Directors

On Monday afternoon, authorities said anti-corruption authorities had arrested thirteen people over the disaster so far, including the executives and an engineering consultant of a construction company, and had “immediately begun comprehensive investigation along the lines of manslaughter”.

Safety Failures Uncovered

A senior official stated that seven of twenty tested specimens of the mesh netting used around the towers did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Initial testing had found materials were up to code, but the official said the cheaper, noncompliant netting had been put in areas hard to reach in order to evade detection, labeling it a “shameful act”.

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

Civilians Arrested Amid Demands for Answers

As allegations of safety violations mount, alongside reports that government authorities had issued several apparently ignored cautions, the public have asked why no officials have yet been held accountable. Instead, two members of the public were allegedly arrested by security forces.

One individual, identified as a Hong Kong student, was detained over an online petition that made “four demands” for guaranteed support for the victims and accountability for those at to blame, including any corrupt or culpable public servants.

Local media said the individual was detained for “inciting disaffection”. Law enforcement did not confirm the arrest, saying only that they “will act according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law”.

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

Government Statement on Arrests

Questioned about the detentions, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements online” that were aimed to threaten national security. “As a result, we must take necessary steps, including police action,” the official told a media briefing. “Operational details cannot be revealed as they concern state security.”

Public Reaction and Parallels Drawn

On local online platforms, people criticised the detention of citizens. “National security must be given precedence even if the dead are still buried in the structure,” said one.

Several users drew comparisons to the Chinese mainland. “There, these crimes are termed ‘creating disturbances’,” said one commenter. “They are typically punished with severe penalties. Social order overrides everything.”

Another said: “Now that we are aligning with the mainland’s approach, by targeting the person who raises the question, nobody will dare to ask, and therefore Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Heightened Sensitivity and Volunteer Efforts

The arrests followed warnings by national security authorities that they would take action against anyone deemed to be using the tragedy to stir up “hostile” sentiment.

Before the detentions, authorities had already begun showing increased vigilance to the community response. Since the suppression of earlier protests, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the immediate aftermath, community volunteers quickly organized aid operations, with hundreds of people employing cars and public transport to deliver large quantities of clothes, food and other essentials for the victims.

However, by evening, officers were patrolling the area, and government officials soon assumed control from the volunteer organisers.

The appeal over which the student was reportedly detained was launched late on Friday. Its “four demands” mirrored the language of previous protest movements but did not advocate systemic reform.

The individual told media that he was only “proposing very basic requests”.

“Should these suggestions are considered subversive or ‘crossing the line’, then I feel I cannot foresee the consequences of anything any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is right,” he stated.