When tragedy struck, the Hong Kong government stepped forward

Editor's note: Timothy Kerswell, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Development Watch Centre in Kampala, Uganda. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The Wang Fuk Court fire was a tragedy that reverberated beyond Tai Po, but to me it felt unusually personal. Tai Po was home to me for a year during 2020-2021 and I had become familiar with its markets, footbridges, and housing estates. Wang Fuk Court was just one of the places I passed daily, another quiet part of the backdrop to my life. It was surreal to watch my own newsfeed filled with pictures of it in flames. The loss of so many people, and the trauma for those who survived, is something I can never fully know. But standing in front of the flickering screen, as the fire rose and spread across a place I passed every day, gave me an immediate sense of how news reported from distance can also be news that is intimately felt.

Wrapped in that emotional fog, I found myself paying attention to the government's response in a way that I had not before. The scale of the tragedy was staggering: More than 150 people perished and thousands were displaced in the fire, which was the deadliest in Hong Kong for many decades. The 40-plus hours of firefighting happened under conditions of extreme difficulty which tested the emergency responders who fought it to their limit. 

Stability was important once the fire was out too. Most of the residents had fled with little more than identity documents and their phones. In the first three days after the fire, over 1,800 affected households were registered by the government and 929 received emergency cash subsidies of HKD 10,000. They were also given HKD 50,000 in living allowances per household, as well as HKD 200,000 for the families of those who died. Queues formed at community halls as residents asked questions about eligibility and processing. Officials explained that the emergency cash subsidies were to help those who had been evacuated with no cash to buy food or medicine. The trauma and uncertainty of the moment was not erased by these early payments, but their immediacy was practical: People could buy food, medication, and clothing without hesitation.

Rehousing efforts also moved with urgency. By 30 November, 517 residents had been placed in hostels, camps, or hotels arranged by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, while another 1,038 had been rehoused into transitional housing, some arranged through government channels, others through the Housing Society. Two temporary shelters were open to receive people, to cater for those whose needs were more ongoing. The total number of residents rehoused passed 2,400 by 1 December. As someone who lived a short walk away, I can picture in my mind how difficult it would have been to sort out where to sleep the first night, with fear and confusion both afoot. Organized accommodation being ready within hours of the fire meant residents did not have to negotiate that fear alone.

Even within the shelters, small kindnesses made a difference. Journalists noted volunteers offloading milk, fruit, slippers, toiletries, and hot meals as residents queued silently for supplies. Mr Lau, one of the volunteers, explained that they had brought "biscuits, sweets, drinks, rice, fruit, and daily necessities like shoes, socks and toothbrushes" and that they would continue to return with whatever was needed. A Scout centre in Tai Po opened its doors to survivors and their pets, creating a rare space where families did not have to be split from animals that could provide comfort. These gestures may be small when compared to the scale of the disaster, but their emotional weight was no less than reassurance and dignity.

The government also provided a personalised support structure, assigning one social worker to each of the affected households. By 29 November, about 1,300 of these households had been contacted and more than 3,200 residents registered for services. The effect was to help people move through the thicket of documentation, insurance claims, lost items, medical care, and future accommodation. Even in a bureaucracy a single point of contact can matter more than the idealized descriptions of many policies.

Financial stability is another pillar of recovery. The Housing Authority issued a relaxation of mortgage repayment rules to allow banks to offer special arrangements to the affected homeowners. The government also established a Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court, which had received about HKD 1.1 billion in donations and public contributions by 29 November. That sum, and the ongoing donations to the fund, will be part of the broader picture of how quickly and how fully people can rebuild their lives.

Investigations have been announced, led both by the Fire Services Department and by an independent committee with a judge as its head. These will be important in terms of public confidence. 

As someone who once knew that neighbourhood by foot, scent and sound, I feel the heartbreak of this tragedy in a personal way. But commentary is not catharsis. The early response of the government, which in practical ways met residents where they were and provided help, clear communication, and visible care, is only the first step in what will be a long recovery process. 

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