🔗 Share this article

Authorities in Hong Kong have detained thirteen people on suspected charges of involuntary manslaughter related to the recent catastrophic blaze, amid increasing criticism over the detentions of citizens demanding accountability.

Ongoing Rescue Operations as Death Toll Climbs

Rescue teams continued to search through the seven-building complex of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in Tai Po on the start of the week, following the city’s deadliest fire in seven and a half decades. The death toll rose to 151 and is expected to rise further as the operation continues. About forty people are still missing.

Construction Work Connected with Fire’s Cause

The housing complex, home to almost 5,000 people, had been undergoing major refurbishment that have been linked to the fire’s cause. In the wake of the tragedy, public fury has escalated over alleged past safety violations by the contractor working at the location and lax enforcement of standards, spurred on by disclosures that occupants had been complaining about the renovations for a twelve months.

Those Detained Include Company Directors

On Monday afternoon, authorities said the anti-graft agency had arrested 13 people over the tragedy so far, including the directors and an engineering consultant of a construction company, and had “promptly initiated a thorough probe along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.

Substandard Materials Revealed

A top administrator stated that seven of 20 tested specimens of the scaffolding net used around the buildings did not meet fire-retardant standards. Initial testing had found materials were compliant, but the spokesperson said the cheaper, substandard netting had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to evade detection, labeling it a “shameful act”.

“They just wanted to make money at the expense of human lives,” the official stated.

Citizens Detained Amid Demands for Accountability

As accusations of safety lapses mount, alongside revelations that official bodies had issued multiple seemingly unenforced warnings, residents have asked why no officials have yet been held accountable. Conversely, two members of the public were reportedly taken into custody by security forces.

A person, identified as a Hong Kong student, was arrested over an online petition that made “four demands” for assured assistance for the affected families and accountability for those at to blame, including any negligent or culpable government officials.

Reports said the student was arrested for “inciting disaffection”. Law enforcement did not verify the detention, saying only that they “will act according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the legal framework”.

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

Official Response on Detentions

Asked about the arrests, the secretary of security said there had been “misleading statements on the internet” that were aimed to threaten public security. “Therefore, we must take necessary steps, including police action,” the official told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be revealed as they concern national security.”

Social Media Response and Parallels Drawn

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

Some commenters drew comparisons to the Chinese mainland. “The mainland, these crimes are termed ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said a user. “They are typically punished with heavy sentences. Social order trumps everything.”

A different user said: “Now that we are aligning with mainland China’s methods, by targeting the individual who asks questions, no one will venture to question, and thus Hong Kong’s governance will have no problems.”

Increased Scrutiny and Volunteer Efforts

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

Before the detentions, officials had already demonstrated heightened sensitivity to the public reaction. Following the quelling of earlier unrest, public assemblies have been strictly regulated. In the days following the fire, community volunteers rapidly established aid operations, with hundreds of people employing vehicles and public transport to bring in large quantities of garments, supplies and other essentials for the victims.

However, by evening, officers were patrolling the vicinity, and government officials soon took over from the community coordinators.

The petition over which the individual was allegedly arrested was initiated late on Friday. Its “four demands” mirrored the language of previous campaigns but did not call for systemic reform.

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

“If these ideas are deemed subversive or ‘transgressive’, then I believe I cannot foresee the outcomes of anything any more, and I can only do what I truly believe is correct,” he said.