Hong Kong Arrests 13 on Suspected Charges of Manslaughter Over Apartment Blaze

Authorities in Hong Kong have detained 13 individuals on suspicion of manslaughter related to the recent catastrophic blaze, amid increasing public outcry over the detentions of civilians demanding responsibility.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Fatalities Rises

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in the Tai Po district on the start of the week, days after the most fatal blaze in 75 years. The death toll rose to one hundred and fifty-one and is expected to rise higher as the operation goes on. Approximately 40 people are still missing.

Construction Work Connected with Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, home to nearly 5,000 people, had been undergoing extensive renovations that have been associated with the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, public fury has escalated over reported past safety violations by the contractor working at the location and lax enforcement of standards, spurred on by disclosures that residents had been complaining about the renovations for a twelve months.

Arrests Include Company Directors

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

Safety Failures Revealed

A senior official stated that seven of 20 tested samples of the scaffolding net used around the towers did not meet flame-resistance requirements. Preliminary checks had found materials were up to code, but the official said the less expensive, substandard material had been installed in areas hard to reach in order to evade detection, describing it as a “deplorable deed”.

“They just wanted to profit at the cost of human lives,” the official stated.

Civilians Detained Amid Calls for Accountability

As allegations of safety violations grow, alongside revelations that official bodies 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 national security police.

A person, identified as a Hong Kong student, was arrested over an internet appeal that made “four demands” for assured assistance for the victims and responsibility for those at to blame, including any negligent or responsible government officials.

Reports said the student was detained for “inciting disaffection”. Police did not verify the arrest, saying only that they “will act according to actual circumstances and in compliance with the law”.

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

Official Response on Detentions

Questioned about the arrests, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements online” that were intended 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 disclosed as they concern state security.”

Social Media Response and Parallels Drawn

On Hong Kong social media, people criticised the arrests of civilians. “National security must be prioritised even if the dead are still trapped in the structure,” said one.

Some commenters drew comparisons to mainland China. “There, such acts are termed ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “It’s usually met with severe penalties. Social order overrides everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are following the mainland’s approach, by targeting the person who asks questions, nobody will venture to question, and thus Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Volunteer Efforts

The arrests came after advisories by security officials that they would take action against anyone deemed to be exploiting the incident to stir up “anti-China” sentiment.

Prior to the detentions, officials had already demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Since the quelling of earlier protests, public assemblies have been strictly regulated. In the days following the fire, volunteer supporters quickly organized aid operations, with many individuals using vehicles and public transport to deliver large quantities of garments, food and other essentials for the victims.

Nevertheless, by evening, armed police were monitoring the area, and government officials eventually assumed control from the volunteer organisers.

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

The individual told reporters that he was only “putting forward very basic demands”.

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