Authorities in the city have taken into custody thirteen people on suspected charges of manslaughter in connection with the recent devastating fire, amid growing public outcry over the arrests of civilians calling for responsibility.
Rescue teams persisted in combing through the seven towers of the Wang Fuk Court residential area in the Tai Po district on Monday, following the city’s deadliest fire in 75 years. The number of fatalities rose to 151 and is expected to rise higher as the search goes on. Approximately 40 people are currently missing.
The estate, housing nearly five thousand people, had been undergoing major refurbishment that have been associated with the fire’s cause. In the aftermath, anger has escalated over reported previous safety breaches by the contractor working at the site and lax enforcement of safety codes, spurred on by revelations that occupants had been complaining about the renovations for a year.
On the afternoon of Monday, officials said the anti-graft agency had arrested thirteen people over the disaster so far, including the executives and an technical advisor of a construction company, and had “promptly initiated a thorough probe along the lines of involuntary manslaughter”.
A top administrator stated that 7 of twenty tested specimens of the scaffolding net used around the buildings did not meet fire-retardant standards. Preliminary checks had found samples were up to code, but the spokesperson said the less expensive, substandard netting had been installed in areas difficult to access in order to avoid discovery, labeling it a “deplorable deed”.
“Their sole aim was to profit at the expense of people’s lives,” he said.
As accusations of safety lapses mount, alongside revelations that official bodies had issued multiple apparently ignored cautions, residents have questioned why no government figures have yet been held accountable. Instead, two civilians were reportedly arrested by national security police.
A person, named as a local student, was arrested over an internet appeal that made “four requests” for assured assistance for the affected families and responsibility for those at fault, including any corrupt or culpable government officials.
Reports said the student was arrested for “inciting disaffection”. Police did not confirm the detention, saying only that they “will take actions according to the situation and in accordance with the legal framework”.
News outlets also covered the arrest of a former district councillor.
Questioned about the arrests, the security chief said there had been “inaccurate comments online” that were intended to threaten public security. “As a result, we must take appropriate measures, including police action,” the official told a press conference. “Specifics of the operation cannot be disclosed as they concern national security.”
On local online platforms, people criticised the arrests of civilians. “State security must be prioritised even if the victims are still buried in the building,” said a comment.
Several users made parallels to the Chinese mainland. “There, these crimes are termed ‘picking quarrels and provoking trouble’,” said one commenter. “They are typically met with severe penalties. Stability overrides everything.”
A different user said: “Since we are aligning with mainland China’s approach, by dealing with the individual who asks questions, nobody will venture to question, and therefore the city's administration will have no problems.”
The detentions came after advisories by national security authorities that they would crack down on anyone deemed to be using the tragedy to incite “anti-China” feelings.
Before the arrests, officials had already demonstrated increased vigilance to the community response. Following the suppression of earlier unrest, civilian gatherings have been tightly controlled. In the days following the fire, community volunteers quickly organized relief efforts, with hundreds of people employing cars and transit to deliver large quantities of clothes, supplies and other essentials for the survivors.
Nevertheless, by evening, armed police were monitoring the vicinity, and public authorities eventually assumed control from the community coordinators.
The petition over which the individual was reportedly arrested was launched on Friday evening. Its “four demands” echoed the terminology of previous campaigns but did not call for political change.
The student informed media that he was only “putting forward very basic requests”.
“Should these suggestions are considered seditious or ‘transgressive’, then I feel I can’t predict the outcomes of any action any more, and I can only do what I sincerely think is correct,” he stated.
Elara is a seasoned writer and digital storyteller with a passion for exploring diverse literary genres and empowering others through words.
