Post-fire relief and support efforts at Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court continued to advance, with all levels of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government activating a comprehensive assistance mechanism.

According to the latest official update from HKSAR government, the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, established by the HKSAR government, has received 2.7 billion Hong Kong dollars in external donations as of Friday noon. Together with the HKSAR government's start-up capital of 300 million Hong Kong dollars, the fund's total now stands at around 3 billion Hong Kong dollars. The fund will be used to help residents  rebuild their homes and provide long-term support.

Alice Mak Mei-kuen, secretary for home and youth affairs of the HKSAR government, said the living allowance for families affected by the Tai Po fire has been increased from 50,000 Hong Kong dollars to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars per household. Photo: Screenshot of media interview

Alice Mak Mei-kuen, secretary for home and youth affairs of the HKSAR government, said on Friday that the living allowance for families affected by the Tai Po fire has been increased from 50,000 Hong Kong dollars to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars per household. As of Friday, 923 cases have been processed, and disbursements are ongoing, according to South, a news platform operated by Guangdong-based Nanfang Daily. 

In addition, the HKSAR government has disbursed an emergency subsidy of 10,000 Hong Kong dollars to 1,930 households. The Support Fund will provide families of each deceased victim with a solidarity payment of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars, as well as 50,000 Hong Kong dollars to cover funeral costs. As of Friday, a total of 73 cases had been processed, and disbursements were under way.

Warner Cheuk Wing-hing, deputy chief secretary of the HKSAR government, told media on Friday that after the fire the government established a cross-departmental task force on emergency support and fundraising, launching a comprehensive and targeted relief mechanism, according to South. 

The task force has implemented specialized support measures tailored to different groups. Each affected household is assigned a dedicated support team comprising one social worker and two to three civil servants to provide holistic assistance, including emotional support, logistical help, and resource coordination. Affected students, foreign domestic helpers, and construction workers are each eligible for a subsidy of 20,000 Hong Kong dollars. Injured persons can receive emergency financial aid ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars, depending on the severity and duration of hospitalization, according to South.

Additionally, the government has rolled out a series of special relief policies, including waiving 2024/25 tax bills for affected home owners and residents, covering government rent and rates, and exempting water and sewage charges for a specified period. Costs for document replacement, funeral and burial services and medical treatment at public hospitals have also been waived.

On the search and rescue front, Lui Kam-ho, director of operations of the Hong Kong Police Force, said in an interview on Friday that police have deployed a cumulative total of 14,000 officer shifts since the fire. Despite extreme challenges including compromised building structures, water accumulation, and a lack of lighting, police have worked in collaboration with the Fire Services Department, the Housing Department, and other agencies on evacuation, traffic control, and victim identification. Most previously unaccounted-for individuals have now been located, and the search focus is shifting from the building interiors to surrounding ground areas, according to news platform wenweipo.com. 

Global Times