Hong Kong government to handle Wang Fuk Court insurance claims

The administrator of the fire-damaged Wang Fuk Court estate has assured residents that the Hong Kong government will assume responsibility for insurance claims if owners accept the buy-back offer.

Hop On Management Company, the estate administrator, made the announcement during a Zoom briefing for residents on Wednesday. The government has allocated HK$6.8 billion to purchase flats in seven blocks affected by the fire, with an additional HK$1 billion for the remaining block.

Frankie Chan, service director at Hop On, stated that if owners sell their titles to the government, authorities will handle all rights to the property all-risks insurance claims with China Taiping Insurance (HK) Company. The government will manage legal procedures and bear the risks of compensation amounts and timelines.

Some residents who attended the briefing noted that questions remain about how and when they might receive any compensation. The buy-back plan covers the Tai Po estate damaged in the fire.

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Hong Kong residents navigate fire-damaged ruins of Wang Fuk Court to retrieve cherished family items before farewell.
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Wang Fuk Court residents climb ruins to retrieve family treasures, bid farewell

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Residents of Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court have returned to the fire-ravaged ruins in recent days, climbing stairs to retrieve jewellery, cash, photo albums and keepsakes before bidding farewell to their homes. The fire services chief acknowledged at a hearing that departments need better communication while insisting on clear divisions of responsibility. The blaze killed 168 people.

The administrator of Wang Fuk Court has detailed plans to refund HK$127 million to owners displaced by a major fire, following the payment of HK$180 million toward a renovation project.

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Legal experts say Wang Fuk Court residents can pursue insurance claims after selling flats to the government but must prove negligence caused losses. The comments follow the release of documents on a government buy-back plan.

An independent committee probing last year’s Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po heard that Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department declined to issue an emergency alert due to fears of confusion and the system’s one-hour activation time. The blaze killed 168 people, Hong Kong’s deadliest since 1948. Officers testified on responsibilities and response failures.

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Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said there should be no limits to accountability over the Wang Fuk Court fire that killed 168 people last November. He confirmed prosecutions against two witnesses who refused to testify.

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