The Hong Kong government announced that the support fund for the Wang Fuk Court fire has reached HK$2.3 billion, including HK$2 billion in public donations and HK$300 million in seed funding. The fund will help affected residents rebuild homes and provide long-term support. The blaze in Tai Po's Wang Fuk Court has killed 156 people and injured 79.
A severe fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on the night of November 27, starting in Wang Cheong House and rapidly spreading to six other blocks, killing 156 people including one firefighter, injuring 79 with 12 firefighters among them, leaving about 30 unaccounted for, and displacing around 4,000 residents. The estate had been undergoing a HK$330 million renovation since July 2024, featuring bamboo scaffolding and green mesh, but authorities stated that highly flammable styrofoam and substandard mesh contributed to the fire's rapid spread.
The government responded swiftly with emergency aid: HK$10,000 per affected household since the night of November 27, with over 1,930 households registered and payments disbursed to 1,916 by 4 p.m. Tuesday. Additionally, 104 households received HK$50,000 living allowances, and 21 families of the deceased processed HK$200,000 condolence payments plus HK$50,000 funeral subsidies.
Public donations reached HK$2 billion by Tuesday noon, combined with the government's HK$300 million seed funding, totaling HK$2.3 billion for rebuilding homes and long-term support. The Social Welfare Department deployed social workers and clinical psychologists to provide emotional support to families. Over 2,600 residents have been relocated to youth hostels, hotels, or transitional housing, with authorities dispelling rumors of placement in unfinished interim flats.
Chief Executive John Lee ordered a judge-led independent review committee on Tuesday to investigate the disaster; unlike a statutory commission of inquiry, it is non-statutory for faster, more flexible proceedings. Thousands of mourners have visited a makeshift memorial near the estate to lay flowers. Hundreds of officers from the Hong Kong Police Force’s Disaster Victim Identification Unit are deployed at the scene, and investigators are examining renovation materials including mesh netting.
Residents of the unaffected Wang Chi House can return to retrieve items like medications, clothes, and documents for 90 minutes on Wednesday and Thursday, though no return date has been announced pending further probes.
