Hong Kong's Tai Po fire: Aid and support continue to pour in

Nearly two weeks after a devastating fire tore through the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in Tai Po, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and communities citywide are rallying to support survivors, with relief efforts ranging from school relocations to emergency funding and aid from the mainland.

The HKSAR government announced it has secured HK$5 million (about $640,000) to support schools affected by the blaze. Tai Po Baptist Public School, whose campus remains closed due to fire damage, will have its students transferred to two nearby schools starting mid-December, with classrooms allocated by grade.

As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, the death toll stood at 159, the Hong Kong Police Force said at a press briefing. Police confirmed that 140 bodies had been identified, adding that the victims were aged between 1 and 97 years old.

The fire also left 79 people injured. Lo Chung-mau, secretary of the Health Department of the HKSAR government, said on Friday evening that all patients are now out of danger. Thirty remain hospitalized, with six in serious condition and 24 stable. Forty-nine others have been discharged.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee pledged on Friday to continue strengthening psychological support for those affected by the fire, expressing hope that society would extend mutual support to help residents return to normal life as soon as possible. He reiterated that assistance for the victims would not cease and that efforts would be continuously scaled up.

All-round support

Alice Mak Mei-kuen, secretary for home and youth affairs of the HKSAR government, said on Thursday that the living allowance for families affected by the Tai Po fire has been increased from HK$50,000 to HK$100,000 per household.

The HKSAR government has so far distributed HK$10,000 in emergency subsidies to each of the 1,929 families.

Relevant mainland authorities have supplied more than 30,000 relief items, including tents, goggles, special lighting systems and exoskeleton equipment to aid rescue operations.

The national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief and the Ministry of Emergency Management have coordinated with the National Fire and Rescue Administration and relevant charitable foundations to provide the HKSAR government with emergency equipment and supplies, including portable outdoor charging stations, heavy-duty transport machines, and respirators.

Mainland enterprises also actively supported disaster relief efforts. More than 40 enterprises from Guangdong Province have donated supplies and funds totaling over HK$600 million.

As of Friday, 1,369 residents have been accommodated in youth hostels, camps and hotel rooms through the coordination of the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, while 2,499 residents had moved into transitional housing units provided by the Housing Department or units from the Hong Kong Housing Society.

The "Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po" set up by the HKSAR government has so far received HK$3 billion in external donations. Together with the HK$300 million in seed funding contributed by the HKSAR government, the fund now totals approximately HK$3.3 billion, which will be used to assist residents in rebuilding their homes.

The Education University of Hong Kong, located in Tai Po District, also activated its emergency response mechanism and formulated a series of measures to support affected students and residents following the fire.

The Health Department is covering all medical, medication and rehabilitation costs for fire victims. Residents of the eight affected buildings in the complex, including foreign domestic helpers, will receive full public medical fee waivers until December 31, 2026. The Education Bureau is providing HK$20,000 in special aid to each student from Wang Fuk Court for school supplies or transportation.

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One social worker per household

In particular, the Social Welfare Department of the HKSAR government has so far reached out to over 4,900 residents from more than 1,900 affected households to register for the "one social worker per household" follow-up service, offering emotional support, coordinating supplies and practical daily assistance.

Each household will be supported not only by a social worker providing professional welfare services but also by two civil servants from other government departments who will handle practical, day-to-day needs.

The social worker's responsibilities include emotional counseling, psychological support and helping arrange temporary care for elderly family members. The civil servants, meanwhile, handle on-the-ground tasks such as accompanying residents to medical follow-ups, assisting with packing belongings and helping coordinate relocation.

More than 2,000 social workers were immediately mobilized following the fire, and Octopus cards worth HK$2,000 each have been distributed to help affected residents' with daily travel and meet urgent needs.

Meanwhile, over 60 clinical psychologists have accompanied affected families to provide support during this difficult time.

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