Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Thursday a series of measures in response to the deadly Tai Po blaze, including the establishment of a HK$300 million ($38.6 million) relief fund for affected residents, handing out a cash subsidy of HK$10,000 to each of the displaced families, providing 1,800 apartments to accommodate the affected, and creating a road map for replacing bamboo scaffolding in the city.

In a media briefing on Thursday afternoon, Lee said that all government celebratory events will be canceled or postponed, and officials would suspend attendance at public activities to focus on relief efforts. The government will arrange memorial activities, including flying flags at half-staff on government buildings, holding memorial services and setting up condolence books, with details to be announced later.

The fire broke out at 2:51 pm on Wednesday in the eight-building Wang Fuk Court estate, which was undergoing renovations and has nearly 2,000 units. Flames quickly spread across seven of the eight towers. After the blaze burned for more than 27 hours, Lee announced that it had been brought under control.

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By early Friday morning, the disaster had claimed 83 lives, including one firefighter. Among the 77 injured are 11 firefighters. Of those still hospitalized, 12 are in critical condition and 28 are in serious condition.

Deputy Director of Fire Services (Operations) Derek Chan said firefighting operations are expected to conclude overnight, after which full-scale rescue efforts will begin.

Police arrested two directors of Prestige Construction & Engineering Ltd, a registered contractor responsible for maintenance work, and one engineering consultant early on Thursday on suspicion of manslaughter. They are currently being detained for investigation.

Following an inspection of the scene, Lee said the authorities will immediately begin a citywide inspection of all residential estates that are under renovation to check the safety of the scaffolding and construction materials. He announced that authorities will create a road map for replacing the city’s bamboo scaffolding with metal scaffolding.

Of the 1,800 apartments secured for displaced residents, 1,000 are youth hostel and hotel rooms throughout the city, which will provide temporary housing.

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A social worker will be assigned to provide dedicated support to each affected household.

A working group from the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday morning to assist in Hong Kong’s disaster relief efforts. The delegation is led by the office’s deputy head, Nong Rong. Xu Qifang, the office’s executive deputy director, also departed for Hong Kong on Thursday afternoon.

Zhou Ji, director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR, and Nong visited the Tai Po Community Center and the Prince of Wales Hospital to extend sympathy to fire victims and meet with rescue and relief personnel.

The Liaison Office pledged full support for the SAR government’s ongoing rescue efforts, casualty care and investigation into the blaze, expressing confidence in Hong Kong’s unity during this difficult time.

Lee said the SAR government has submitted a list of needed supplies to mainland authorities, including items such as drones, high-reach ladders and conveyor belts. He also expressed hope for prompt assistance from the mainland in areas such as medical support and laboratory testing materials.

Lee expressed gratitude for the support from the Chinese mainland, noting that the eight drones and two long-endurance drones provided by Shenzhen had offered effective assistance in the rescue efforts.

“We share in the collective grief and must stand strong together through this difficult time,” Lee said. “Let us channel our sorrow into resilience, maintaining social stability and working toward recovery.”

The Independent Commission Against Corruption has established a special task force for a full investigation into the incident, and the potential involvement of corruption in the major renovation projects.

Eight Legislative Council election forums that had been scheduled to start this week, from Thursday through Sunday, were suspended.

Hope amid tragedy

Rescue efforts continued late Thursday. A man was discovered alive on the 16th-floor staircase of Wang Tao House at 6:45 pm, nearly 26 hours after the fire began — following an earlier rescue of another survivor from the 31st floor at 11 am.

“We never give up at any moment and do not rule out the possibility of finding more survivors,” said Wong Ka-wing, deputy director of Fire Services (public safety and corporate strategy), citing unstable scaffolding and extreme temperatures as major challenges.

“Our goal is to deploy all available resources to continue rescue operations.”

He said all requests for assistance in the four buildings where the blaze had been extinguished by Thursday noon had been addressed.

The Fire Services Department deployed eight turntable ladders, 11 fire hoses, and four drones for firefighting and hot-spot inspections. The massive operation involved over 1,250 firefighters and 304 fire and rescue vehicles.

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At the Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre, one of several temporary shelters, many displaced residents gathered to receive relief supplies.

Kwong Pui-lun, a 41-year-old resident of the estate, sought shelter at the facility after fleeing his home. Despite a sleepless night, he praised shelter staff for their care and efficiency. He recalled the panic and confusion that gripped residents as flames ravaged the buildings.

A woman surnamed Ng tearfully recounted how her daughter and husband remain missing. She now places her hope in hospitals, searching for her loved ones.

“My building wasn’t fully on fire (when the area was cordoned off). … I could still see the windows of my home,” she said. “Why didn’t they rescue those trapped in our building before the fire escalated?”

Another resident surnamed Ho, who lived with his wife on the third floor, said they were fortunate to escape. “We have nothing left,” he said. “But at least we’re safe.”

A woman surnamed Tsang and her husband, who were away from home when the fire broke out, said they now rely on government assistance.

Lu Wanqing, Atlas Shao contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at stushadow@chinadailyhk.com