At the first meeting of the 8th Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region at the beginning of the new year in 2026, Chief Executive Carrie Lam spoke earnestly, 'We will fully devote ourselves to the aftermath work and help affected families rebuild their lives as soon as possible.'.
Hong Kong's various sectors are highly concerned about the resettlement and reconstruction work after the fire at Hung Fuk Court in Tai Po at the end of last year. The SAR government has proposed a motion at this Legislative Council meeting to conduct in-depth discussions on the aftermath work.
The implementation of the long-term accommodation plan has been accelerated, the total amount of assistance funds has been rising, and systematic reform has been steadily advancing... With the central government's earnest concern, the SAR government has made every effort, all sectors of society have cooperated with each other, and brothers and sisters from all over the country have walked side by side to jointly promote post disaster support and post disaster relief work, so that Hong Kong citizens can feel more at ease.
Actively act as a proper placement
Mr. Lao, 76 years old, and his family received thick quilts, cooking utensils, various types of food and other charitable supplies in the Pok Oi River Xia Wei Village in Yuen Long, and arranged them neatly. In a small but bright dwelling, life is returning to peace.
The reporter recently visited and found that the transitional housing projects of Bo'ai Jiangxiawei Village and Lutheran Shuangyuhui, where the disaster victims are staying, are equipped with complete beds, bedding, daily necessities, as well as household appliances such as washing machines, refrigerators, televisions, and air conditioners. Bo'ai Jiangxiawei Village has a small supermarket and cafeteria, while Lutheran Shuangyu Hui has a community living room, activity room, and convenience store.
Mr. Lao, who lost his home in the fire, said, "I submitted my application in the morning and moved into transitional housing in the afternoon. There is a medical center, a small restaurant, and a market here. Each household is also equipped with dedicated volunteers and 24-hour staff, which makes me feel much more at ease.
On the afternoon of November 26, 2025, multiple residential buildings in Hung Fuk Court, Tai Po Estate, New Territories, Hong Kong, caught fire, causing significant casualties. After the fire broke out, the special administrative region government quickly activated the emergency mechanism, forming a cross departmental cooperation network, from firefighting and rescue, injured treatment, to providing temporary resettlement, emergency cash and living allowances for thousands of residents, and initiating "one household, one social worker" follow-up. The entire emergency support work was efficient, professional, and orderly.
Three working groups were quickly established, including the Investigation and Regulation Working Group led by Chief Secretary for Administration Chen Guoji, the Emergency Support and Fundraising Working Group led by Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration Zhuo Yongxing, and the Emergency Accommodation Arrangements Working Group led by Deputy Financial Secretary Wong Wai lun, to conduct investigations, support, and follow-up work with full effort.
As of January 15th, more than 3600 residents of Hongfu Garden have been arranged to move into transitional housing, and over 700 people have been accommodated in hotels or youth dormitories. Each owner of Hongfu Garden is entitled to an annual rental subsidy of HKD 150000, which lasts for two years and is distributed every six months, with HKD 75000 distributed each time. In addition, homeowners and tenants were also granted a one-time relocation subsidy of HKD 50000.
Zhuo Yongxing stated on the 15th that the SAR government will relax restrictions and allow homeowners who have chosen long-term housing plans and are waiting to move into new homes to continue living in transitional housing, avoiding the pain of repeated relocation.
The Social Welfare Department provides support to all affected households according to the "one household, one social worker" arrangement. Except for the two who have passed away and left Hong Kong, social workers have been arranged to follow up with the remaining 1982 households, providing one-stop services such as emotional support, assistance in applying for economic assistance, and short - to medium-term housing arrangements for disaster victims. A social worker said, 'If necessary, accompany until the end!'
One household, one social worker "is currently in contact with the owners of Hongfu Garden to comprehensively and orderly collect the preliminary wishes of each household in terms of long-term resettlement, in order to assist in formulating and implementing specific plans.
Huang Weilun said that the emergency accommodation arrangement working group is actively studying the long-term resettlement plan for residents of Hongfu Garden. It will comprehensively consider various factors, handle them with emotion, reason, and law, take into account the individual situations and wishes of residents, and also make good use of resources to assist affected families in rebuilding their homes.
The medical service fees required for the treatment and rehabilitation process of the injured who were sent to public hospitals under the jurisdiction of the Hospital Authority due to injuries in the fire are fully waived. 79 injured people are receiving treatment in different public hospitals. As of the 20th, 71 injured people have recovered and been discharged. The Hospital Authority has provided necessary medical services to about 1900 affected residents.
Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Zhang Juneng, stated that the judiciary has announced a series of measures to accelerate and prioritize the handling of legal proceedings related to fires, and has established a working group led by the Chief Justice of the High Court to supervise the handling of accident related cases by courts at all levels.
At the same time as promoting the aftermath work, the SAR government has carried out comprehensive and systematic investigations and reforms, drawing lessons from others, identifying and filling gaps, reflecting the people-oriented governance philosophy, demonstrating the determination and wisdom to solve governance problems, and making Hong Kong safer and citizens more at ease.
The SAR government established an interdepartmental investigation team on November 28 last year to investigate the cause of the fire. The Hong Kong Police Force and the Independent Commission Against Corruption have established a joint investigation team to investigate the accident and arrested the relevant individuals involved.
The Fire Services Department will strengthen inspections of the effective operation of fire protection equipment and devices in buildings, including the establishment of dedicated teams and rapid response teams, and optimize deployment mechanisms. The Buildings Department launched a special operation at the end of November last year to inspect existing buildings and take samples of shed nets for inspection. The Development Bureau announced in early December last year that buildings undergoing major maintenance must immediately remove the canopy and stop external wall construction according to the department's instructions, and announced a new system for on-site sampling inspection of the canopy in mid December.
In December last year, Li Jiachao announced the establishment of an independent committee chaired by Judge Lu Qikang, responsible for examining the causes of accidents, holding those responsible accountable, and making preventive recommendations. The committee will submit a report within 9 months of its establishment.
The Hongfu Garden fire has revealed that the relevant systems and systems that have been in use for many years need to be reformed. The government will attach importance to the recommendations of the independent committee, implement systematic reforms, break down interest barriers, and not allow things to happen again, "said Li Jiachao.
The 8th Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region held its first meeting on the 14th in the conference hall of the Legislative Council Complex to discuss the aftermath of the fire in Hung Fuk Court, Tai Po. Chen Guoji proposed a motion on post fire support and reconstruction work for Hung Fuk Court in Tai Po. He proposed five institutional reform suggestions, including comprehensively enhancing fire safety governance capabilities, strengthening building maintenance supervision and enforcement, implementing construction site safety improvement measures, strengthening the role and function of the Urban Renewal Authority in promoting building maintenance, and enhancing owner participation in large-scale maintenance projects.
After the officials of the Special Administrative Region government spoke, members of the Special Administrative Region Legislative Council enthusiastically expressed their opinions. Councilor Jiang Minqian is concerned about the issue of post disaster psychological trauma among residents and hopes that the SAR government will attach importance to medical and emotional support services for residents. Councilor Fang Guoshan suggested establishing a "Building Maintenance Management Bureau" to separate some of the work of the Buildings Department, including mandatory window and building inspections, water seepage investigations, and building maintenance.
After 89 legislators spoke, the motion was passed. This is the first motion passed by the 8th Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, reflecting the solemn commitment of the executive and legislative branches to work together to promote post disaster reconstruction.
The editorial of Hong Kong's Ta Kung Pao stated that the series of reform measures reflect the governance approach of "treating both the symptoms and root causes", focusing not only on solving current problems but also on long-term institutional construction. This is not only a direct response to the fire, but also an upgrade to Hong Kong's governance model.
Eight directions support Aihui Xiangjiang
Actually, when things first happened, I felt helpless and confused. "Recalling the tragedy of the fire, Wang Xinrou, who lives in Hongfu Garden, spoke with a serious tone. She is a student of Wang Zhao Zhi Middle School in Tai Po. She won the Lion Rock Spirit Special Award at the 2nd Hong Kong Outstanding Student Public Welfare and Social Service Awards for her active participation in post disaster support.
The greetings from teachers, classmates, and friends made Wang Xinrou feel warm. Although she was affected by the disaster herself, can she also become someone who brings warmth to others? "She and her companions mobilized their classmates on campus and quickly gathered nearly 80 people to form a volunteer team to provide support and help meet the material needs of the disaster victims.
The material donations from Hong Kong citizens have been delivered one truck after another. These goodwill from all directions are very concrete, presented in bags and boxes. Originally, goodwill can be very large and warm, and I will deliver it to you if you need it, "said Wang Xinrou. During the support process, she deeply felt the warm and caring background of Hong Kong.
If one side is in difficulty, support from all directions. The Special Administrative Region government has established the "Tai Po Hung Fuk Court Assistance Fund", with a total amount of HKD 4.5 billion as of January 19th. The special administrative region government has issued various subsidies such as emergency funds, living allowances, and condolence funds, and implemented measures such as tax exemptions, land rent payments, and differential payments to support the needs of disaster victims.
Various sectors of Hong Kong society have quickly launched rescue and funding operations, working together in times of difficulty and helping each other out. With money and effort, there are countless acts of kindness and justice, fully promoting the spirit of solidarity and resilience in Lion Rock.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced the provision of HKD 100 million in assistance through the "Jockey Club Emergency Assistance Fund". The China Merchants Charity Foundation allocated HKD 20 million to establish a special charity fund, China Resources Group donated HKD 20 million, Bauhinia Culture Group donated HKD 10 million, Li Zhaoji Fund donated HKD 30 million, and the Macau Ho Ying Tung Foundation, Hong Kong Ho Ying Tung Foundation, and Ho Ying Tung Group announced donations of HKD 30 million
So far, over 60000 items of various types of daily necessities, such as food and beverages, clothing, daily necessities, bedding, appliances, etc., have been delivered to multiple locations in need, providing care and warmth to residents. The supplies received by Mr. Lao's family are a microcosm of the gathering of these hearts.
After the fire broke out, citizens from all districts in Hong Kong lined up to join the volunteer work, even though they were told that there were sufficient manpower, they did not want to leave. Mei Shaofeng, the captain of the Tai Po District Care Team in Hong Kong, said that within half an hour of the fire, more than 300 members of the 19 care teams in Tai Po District rushed to the scene and nearby Kwong Fuk Estate to provide support.
Many people call to ask if they want help, regardless of distance or day or night, rushing over to help, "Mei Shaofeng said. As long as there is a demand, all parties will quickly raise materials and deliver them. In the face of disaster, the goodwill from all sectors of Hong Kong society is gathering like a tide, which is moving.
After the fire, the Central Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office resolutely implemented the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, closely followed up on the rescue situation of the fire accident, maintained close communication with the Hong Kong SAR government, and coordinated relevant departments and localities to provide necessary assistance, fully supporting the Hong Kong SAR government in responding to and handling the fire accident.
Under the guidance of the Central Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, the Liaison Office of the Central Government in Hong Kong has established an emergency special team and continued to work overnight. The person in charge went to the hospital and community to visit and comfort the fire victims, affected residents, and firefighters involved in the fire rescue, and to understand the specific arrangements for the allocation and distribution of disaster relief materials. Under the coordination of the Central Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, relevant central departments and Guangdong Province provide assistance and support for fire relief work. According to the demand proposed by the Hong Kong SAR government, Guangdong Province quickly mobilized relevant rescue equipment, medical supplies, and consumables to deliver to Hong Kong.
Guangdong enterprises took the lead in action, and on the day after the fire broke out, more than 40 enterprises donated goods and money, totaling over HKD 600 million. Wen's shares donated a total of HKD 40 million in cash and materials. The person in charge said, "Hong Kong compatriots are in need, and we should lend a helping hand. This is not only a corporate responsibility, but also a manifestation of blood and family ties
Enterprises such as SF Express, Haitian Flavor Industry, and Xiaopeng Motors have also responded. SF Express donated HKD 20 million and also opened 146 sites in Hong Kong to provide free transportation services for rescue supplies, forming volunteer teams to assist in rescue operations. Haitian Flavor Industry and Xiaopeng Motors donated HKD 10 million and HKD 5 million respectively.
From Shenzhen citizens spontaneously organizing groups to send supplies to the resettlement site in Dapu, to elderly and children in Rongjiang, Guizhou participating in donations, and the Macau Foundation donating HKD 30 million, after the establishment of the "Dapu Hongfu Yuan Assistance Fund", people have donated money one after another... The concern and support of mainland and Macau compatriots have added warmth and strength to the disaster stricken people.
Disasters are merciless, but there is love in the world. A little bit of love gathers in the fragrant river, it is an emotional witness that blood is thicker than water, and it is also a great human love that goes straight to the heart. Hong Kong has experienced various storms and always relied on the great motherland. With the spirit of self-improvement and solidarity, we have successfully overcome one challenge after another. With the strong support of the central government and the mainland of China, as well as the united efforts of the SAR government and various sectors of society, Hong Kong will surely gather wisdom and gather strength to create a safer and better future.