Residents rehoused as emergency relief accelerates following Wang Fuk Court tragedy

The government has stepped up its relief efforts for residents affected by the devastating five-alarm blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, with nearly all households who applied for emergency cash assistance having already received payment.

Under Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Clarence Leung Wang-ching said the administration’s priority is to ensure that displaced residents are safely rehoused. He noted that arrangements have been made for rent-free emergency accommodation for all affected households.

Leung said the government is adopting a “one social worker per household” approach to follow up on individual needs.

As of last night, around 1,900 households had registered for the HK$10,000 emergency subsidy, while 1,760 had already received the funds — including some who collected the payment directly at temporary shelters.

Others will be able to obtain the subsidy through their temporary accommodation location’s Home Affairs Department offices or via direct transfer.

He added that the government will distribute a further HK$50,000 living allowance to each household later this week under the same social-worker support mechanism.

Leung urged residents who have not yet registered to call the 182183 hotline as soon as possible, noting that the Information Services Department has prepared online resources to guide applicants.

Responding to concerns about overlapping assistance from NGOs and other charitable groups, Leung encouraged well-intentioned organizations to consider channeling funds to the government’s designated relief foundation or issuing aid through the “one social worker per household” system to ensure fair and efficient distribution.

Asked whether both tenants and flat owners may apply for the same subsidies, Leung said the goal is to help all residents affected by the fire. He stressed that duplicate applications would be reviewed individually, though such cases currently remain small in number.

Leung also warned residents to stay vigilant against scammers posing as volunteers to obtain personal information. “It is best for residents to register through the ‘one social worker per household’ arrangement,” he said.

As of last night, around 2,100 residents had been temporarily rehoused in youth hostels, hotels, and transitional housing units. About 40 people remain in two temporary shelters, where officials are providing relocation information and support to help them move into emergency accommodation.