In the wake of fraudsters’ attempts to exploit the Tai Po fire, the city’s banking authorities have reminded the banking industry and the public to stay vigilant.

The banking industry has already stepped up surveillance and anti-fraud measures accordingly, including exercising extra vigilance for applications of change of residential or correspondence addresses to Wang Fuk Court after the fire, and is cooperating with police investigations.

“Whenever receiving calls that are claimed to be from banks, the public should authenticate the identity of the caller and never disclose personal or bank account information, passwords, or other sensitive information to suspicious individuals,” the government said in a statement.

An online platform for supplies donation for the fire-affected families (www.taipodonation.hk) – established by the government and the information technology sector – has so far received over 1,300 registrations.

Of them, approximately 30 percent were submitted by various organizations, whereas the rest were contributed by the public.

The donation items include food and beverages, clothing, daily necessities, beddings, and electrical appliances.

The government is actively assessing residents’ actual needs through relevant policy bureaus, government departments, and service organizations for the matching of donated supplies.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Association of Banks met again with 28 retail banks Thursday and decided to take five additional initiatives to support the fire victims.

The measures are: expediting the handling of bank accounts and safe deposit boxes of the deceased; providing credit support and flexible arrangement for affected individuals by offering emergency interest-free or low-interest loans, expanding the coverage of credit support and following up on mortgage arrangements; helping affected residents exchange damaged banknotes and coins; requiring no bank fees for fund transfers to and from the “Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po” account; and extending branch service hours in Tai Po.

As emergency support measures launched on Friday, all retail banks have set up dedicated 24-hour hotlines, provided a six-month pre-approved repayment grace period, and prioritized the handling of bank account matters and document replacements for affected individuals.

The Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po – formed to assist residents in rebuilding their homes and providing long-term and sustained support – has received HK$2.5 billion in donations as of Thursday noon. With the start-up capital of HK$300 million from the special administrative region government, the fund's total has now reached around HK$2.8 billion.

The fund will provide families of each deceased victim with a token of solidarity of HK$200,000, as well as HK$50,000 to cover funeral costs. As of Thursday, 67 cases have been processed, and disbursements are under way.

It will also provide a living allowance of HK$50,000 to each affected household. As of Thursday, 674 cases have been processed, and disbursements are ongoing. The living allowance ha sbeen increased from HK$50,000 to HK$100,000.

The SAR government has so far disbursed an emergency subsidy of HK$10,000 to 1,929 households.

The Labour Department has appealed to eligible workers and foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) employed at Wang Fuk Court to submit their applications for a HK$20,000 special subsidy at the earliest.

The department is contacting trade unions, service contractors, concerned consulates-general in Hong Kong and affected households, to arrange for the applications. The subsidy for workers supports construction workers, cleaning workers and security guards who have originally worked at the housing estate.

They may also download the application form, and complete and return it by fax to 2697 3394, email to lrd-hq@labour.gov.hk, post to the Office of Labour Relations Division (Shatin & Taipo) at Rooms 304-313, 3/F, Sha Tin Government Offices, or in person.

The FDHs may download the application form and return the completed form by fax to 3101 0604, email to fdh-subsidy@labour.gov.hk, post to the LD's Foreign Domestic Helpers Division at 16/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, or in person.

The Independent Checking Unit (ICU) of the Housing Bureau, together with the structural engineering experts and professionals from the Housing Department, will extract concrete cores samples from the relevant buildings in Wang Fuk Court next week to prepare for a detailed structural analysis.

They will also carry out further support works in those units that may be subject to more damage with emergency maintenance contractors, the Police Force, and the Fire Services Department.

The Development Bureau has ordered immediate removal of any scaffold nets installed on external walls of all public and private buildings and government buildings undergoing major repair works and suspension of the works on those walls in order to protect public safety and put residents' and businesses' minds at ease.

Staff members from the Social Welfare Department (SWD) have been in contact with more than 1,600 affected households to register them for the "one social worker per household" follow-up service.

The SWD staff also paid a visit to the affected residents staying in transitional housing units in Tai Po on Wednesday, and distributed Octopus cards with a face value of HK$2,000 to facilitate their daily travels and address their imminent needs.

Those not yet in touch with the SWD have been advised to leave their contact information by calling 182 183 as soon as possible.

The department is working to maintain liaison with the affected households to provide all necessary assistance while fully supporting the relief work of the government.

For the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po established by the SAR government, donations received have reached HK$2.1 billion as of Wednesday noon.

With the start-up capital of HK$300 million from the government, the fund's total has now reached around $2.4 billion.

The fund will be used to assist residents in rebuilding their homes and providing long-term and sustained support.

Property owners and residents affected by the fire at Wang Fuk Court will not need to settle the tax demand notes issued to them for the 2024-25 assessment year.

To ease the financial burden on Wang Fuk Court residents and the families of the deceased during this difficult time, the HKSAR government will waive the affected property owners’ and residents’ unsettled balance of tax payable for the 2024-25 assessment year, and the provisional tax payable for the 2025-26 assessment year.

Also, the government rent will be paid on behalf of the affected property owners and residents, and the rates for domestic tenements that became uninhabitable due to the fire will be waived.

The Hong Kong police have completed the search for remains inside all seven buildings, and will expand the search to the vicinity to check for remains under scaffolding that collapsed in the flames.

The blaze that engulfed the residential complex Wang Fuk Court had claimed 159 lives by 2 pm on Wednesday, with 31 people still missing, the Hong Kong Police Force told reporters.

A total of 140 bodies had been identified, said the police, adding that the victims were aged between 1 and 97 years old.