Residents impacted by the devastating five-alarm blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, which resulted in significant casualties and displacement eight days ago, face mounting challenges securing stable, suitable housing. Limited capacity in local temporary accommodations is forcing authorities and advocacy groups to seek urgent solutions across neighboring districts, according to local officials.
On Wednesday, survivors residing in the adjacent, undamaged building, Wang Chi Court, were granted restricted access to retrieve essential possessions for a two-day period. However, District Councillor Lo Hiu-fung highlighted the immediate hurdle for displaced families: a critical shortage of appropriate housing locally. Speaking on an RTHK program, Lo revealed that while the majority of affected families have received short-term shelter, Tai Po’s existing transitional housing stock is nearing saturation, necessitating urgent identification of units in nearby districts or the urban core for medium-term resettlement.
Urgency Drives Search for Suitable Housing
The catastrophic fire strained regional resources, particularly concerning suitable living arrangements for vulnerable populations. Lo noted that while some families were allocated spaces at the Transitional Housing Project – Tai Po “Good House,” the site presents major accessibility issues. The location features external stairways and a steep approach without elevator access, posing a severe problem for elderly residents. Given that nearly 40% of Wang Fuk Court’s occupants were aged 65 or above, the design renders the units unsuitable for long-term residency for many survivors.
Due to the limited availability of transitional flats, some households have been moved to outlying areas, including Ta Kwu Ling and Kam Tin, adding significant logistical burdens to their recovery process. As of the update, only a handful of families remain in local emergency sites, specifically one to two households at the Tung Cheong Street temporary shelter and fewer than ten at the Tai Po Community Centre, with others staying primarily with relatives.
To alleviate the current bottleneck, Lo proposed utilizing temporary vacancies at Kwu Chun Estate in the North District and actively sourcing additional units closer to Tai Po or within the main urban areas. These steps are crucial to manage the flow of residents transitioning from short-term hotel stays back into formalized longer-term housing, such as interim housing and resettlement blocks overseen by the Housing Society.
Prioritizing Relief and Resolving Disputes
In terms of immediate social support, the Social Welfare Department implemented a “one household, one social worker” strategy starting around the third day post-fire. Within eight days, over 1,500 households confirmed contact with a assigned social worker. While acknowledging initial communication delays given the scale of the emergency, Lo noted the typical response time for outreach was approximately two working days.
Financial assistance distribution is underway. The immediate emergency payment of HK$10,000 has started reaching families, and social workers are now initiating contact regarding the larger HK$50,000 assistance package designed for sustained recovery.
The temporary re-entry to the unaffected block, Wang Chi Court, presented its own challenges. Lo stressed that access times must align with ongoing police investigations and operations. Furthermore, the recovery process has uncovered complex issues regarding property claims, particularly disputes between landlords and tenants resulting in duplicate filings for assistance. Lo urged authorities to prioritize genuine victims to ensure aid reaches those most directly affected by the tragedy.
The extensive displacement underscores the need for streamlined, accessible disaster relief infrastructure and robust contingency housing plans to ensure that tragedy does not lead to prolonged systemic hardship for affected communities.