In the wake of the devastating fire that took hold at the 1,800-unit Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po, on Wednesday — the worst fire in the city in recent decades — Gang Aoping of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council commented on the city’s remarkable solidarity and resilience.
In an article published in China Daily, titled, United As One, Hong Kong Will Prevail and Forge Ahead, Gang praised the rapid, coordinated response from all levels of government and the wider community.
“The care and support from the central government have given Hong Kong powerful spiritual encouragement and strong confidence in overcoming the disaster,” wrote Gang, stressing that “all quarters of Hong Kong society have worked together to fight the disaster, demonstrating sympathy and solidarity.”
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Gang said that this tragedy has brought forth the “Lion Rock spirit” — a hallmark of the special administrative region’s perseverance, strength and solidarity. The SAR government’s establishment of a HK$300 million ($38.5 million) relief fund and its ongoing comprehensive investigations into the cause of the fire further illustrate the city’s responsible and proactive stance amid hardship.
Responding to Gang’s remarks, Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, convenor of the Executive Council and councilor of the 7th Legislative Council, said that the article accurately reflects the sense of unity among Hong Kong people.
“Gang Aoping's latest piece on Hong Kong's rescue and emergency relief work in the wake of the tragic fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po fully encapsulates the resilience and unity of Hong Kong people, under the leadership of Chief Executive John Lee, with strong support from the central government and neighboring cities in the Greater Bay Area,” said Ip.
READ MORE: Hong Kong businesses rush to help Tai Po fire victims
Tony Tse Wai-chuen, a member of the seventh-term Legislative Council for the Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape functional constituency, praised the comprehensive relief response but also cautioned of the need for long-term safety reforms.
He echoed Gang by suggesting that the SAR learn from mainland innovations, such as drone-assisted fire detection and response, to prevent future catastrophes.
“It would also be highly advisable to create an independent body to oversee renovation safety with professional and enforcement powers”, added the lawmaker, who is also a non-executive director of the Urban Renewal Authority.
Seven of the eight 32-storey high-rises in Wang Fuk Court were being renovated under the urban renewal project when the fire engulfed the complex.
Bill Condon, a 25-year Hong Kong resident, expressed his faith in Hong Kong’s collective resilience, and echoed Gang’s hopeful message that the city will rebuild and move forward with shared determination.
Help has been flooding in from all directions to help the affected residents — from local communities and neighboring cities, including Shenzhen and Guangzhou.
Robert Deal and his wife rushed to a blood donation station only to find out that the line was too long for them to join. “So we registered as volunteers on Facebook to provide temporary accommodation,” said Deal, founder of The Listening Room, a music shop in Tsim Sha Tsui which is 34 miles away from the disaster.
Through pain and loss, the spirit of unity has captured a fundamental truth, according to Condon — an Irishman who considers Hong Kong his home — that the city is a place with an enduring spirit of resilience, strength and courage.
The tragic blaze had claimed 128 lives as of 6 pm on Friday. The fire reportedly started on the ground floor at 2:51 pm on Wednesday and rapidly spread upward using the green netting that was wrapped around the buildings undergoing renovation.
