Hong Kong continues to receive disaster relief supplies coordinated by the central government to aid rescue efforts following the deadly fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. A new batch from the mainland, including firefighter goggles and waterproof gloves, arrived on Wednesday and has been put into use. The blaze has killed at least 159 people, with 31 still missing.
On November 26, a severe fire broke out at the Wang Fuk Court residential estate in Tai Po, Hong Kong, destroying seven of its eight 31-storey towers and killing at least 159 people, including one firefighter. Of the 140 identified victims, there are 49 men and 91 women, aged from 1 to 97. The deceased also include 10 foreign domestic workers and five on-site workers. Forty-two injured have been discharged, while 37 remain hospitalized—four in critical condition, nine serious, and 24 stable. Thirty-one people are still missing.
Hong Kong Police have completed searches of all seven fire-ravaged towers. Commissioner Joe Chow Yat-ming said further operations under collapsed scaffolding will check for victims later, with DNA analysis for identification. Preliminary investigations indicate substandard protective mesh netting around the buildings contributed to the fire's rapid spread. The government has ordered immediate removal of such netting from all citywide renovation sites and plans to issue new guidelines next week requiring on-site sampling and lab testing of materials.
Relief efforts continue. On Wednesday, a new batch of supplies from the mainland, coordinated by the Ministry of Emergency Management, arrived in Hong Kong, including firefighter goggles and waterproof gloves, which have been put into use. Earlier supplies like lighting drones, dual-light reconnaissance drones, exoskeletons, and firefighting boots have effectively assisted the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, according to Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung.
At Thursday's National Constitution Day seminar, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu mourned the victims and urged high turnout in Sunday's Legislative Council election to support post-fire recovery. He announced an independent committee to review the building works system and convert 'painful lessons' into safety measures. Deputy Director Liu Guangyuan of the Liaison Office praised the response, stating the election aligns with constitutional principles and aids reconstruction, while warning 'anti-China destabilizing forces' of legal consequences.
Aid includes 1,930 households registered for a HK$10,000 emergency cash grant, with 1,921 disbursed; 104 have received the living allowance, now doubled to HK$100,000 per household. Over 2,600 residents are in temporary accommodation, and the support fund stands at HK$2.3 billion. Residents of the unaffected Wang Chi House returned on Wednesday and Thursday to retrieve belongings, with some elderly hoping to stay in the familiar Tai Po district.
