TAI PO, Hong Kong — Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee announced Thursday the establishment of a HK$300 million (US$38.5 million) relief fund to assist residents affected by a massive fire that tore through Wang Fuk Court, a public housing estate in Tai Po, leaving multiple fatalities and hundreds displaced.
Each affected household will receive an immediate emergency cash payment of HK$10,000, Lee said after inspecting the fire scene Thursday afternoon.
“Society is devastated by this tragedy,” Lee told reporters. “The government is rolling out a series of measures to provide immediate assistance to the residents.”
In addition to the cash relief, every impacted household will be assigned a dedicated social worker to address ongoing needs. Medical teams, including doctors, will be stationed at temporary shelters to provide on-site treatment and consultations.
The government has opened two Bank of China (Hong Kong) accounts to accept public donations: account 012-875-2-190159-7 for Hong Kong dollar contributions and 012-875-2190160-7 for foreign currencies.
For longer-term housing, authorities plan to relocate affected families to transitional housing units, youth hostels, and hotels across the city. Special arrangements will also be made for families requiring funeral or cremation services.
Lee said all government-led celebratory events will be canceled for the foreseeable future, with mourning activities to be organized instead. Flags on public buildings will fly at half-mast, and civil servants have been mobilized to support relief efforts.
Further details on memorial services and public condolence books will be announced later, the government said in a separate statement.
The blaze, one of the deadliest in Hong Kong in recent years, erupted Wednesday in the 35-story Wang Fuk Court building and quickly engulfed multiple floors, trapping residents and forcing dramatic rescues. Fire officials have not yet released an official death toll or determined the cause of the fire.
