Hongkongers rally in massive grassroots effort after Wang Fuk Court fire
Hongkongers mobilised both online and on the ground to support victims of the Wang Fuk Court fire, with volunteers organising supplies, guiding evacuees, and managing grassroots aid hubs. A Reddit post also noted Care Teams taking photographs at Tai Po while volunteers handled most of the coordination work.
- Community groups and residents in Tai Po rapidly organised relief efforts after the Wang Fuk Court fire.
- Volunteer networks mobilised donations, transport and information far ahead of formal government support.
- Controversy emerged after claims that government-funded Care Teams were taking photographs instead of participating in frontline work.
Relief efforts surged across Tai Po within hours of the five-alarm fire at Wang Fuk Court, as residents moved quickly to support evacuees before formal government systems were fully activated.
According to local media reports, community organisations, shops and churches opened their doors to anyone seeking rest or basic necessities.
Restaurants, gyms, neighbourhood stores and community centres offered warm spaces and essential supplies.
Donations of blankets, jackets, mats, snacks and water accumulated rapidly, with volunteers directing items to locations where displaced residents were gathering.
Some online commentators contrasted these volunteer-led efforts with those of government-funded Care Teams, alleging that teams were seen photographing themselves at donation points while volunteers undertook most of the operational work.
Online networks drive rapid mobilisation
Digital channels played a significant role in coordinating the response.
WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels and Facebook pages filled with requests to locate missing relatives, transport offers and updates on donation capacity.
By the following morning, two independently developed websites emerged to centralise information.
These platforms included interactive maps marking supply hubs, clinics and temporary shelters, allowing residents to navigate changing needs easily.
Scenes of community action across Tai Po
By Thursday evening, a plaza near a neighbouring estate resembled a busy marketplace.
Volunteers sorted clothing by size and age group, while others arranged food, chargers and toiletries for distribution.
A volunteer stood on a stool directing drivers and runners as new supplies arrived.
Nearby, more than a hundred volunteers gathered at backstreets near Tai Po Market MTR station to organise crates of fruit, bread, drinks and household items.
One resident, Nicole Lai, briefly stopped her car to unload a dozen boxes of bananas purchased from wholesale markets.
A passer-by promptly approached with a trolley and helped move the boxes to a distribution point.
Care Teams draw online criticism
Amid these volunteer operations, a widely circulated post claimed that Care Teams funded by the government were taking photographs at relief points rather than engaging in frontline tasks.
Images accompanying the post showed residents managing logistics while teams were seen documenting their presence.
Some online users remarked that the supplies being sorted had been donated by civilians rather than gathered by Care Teams.
Others reacted cynically, noting that “if they do not take photos, no one will know they have done any work.”
One comment stated that the Care Teams were expected to support relief work, adding that workers should prioritise completing tasks before documenting their involvement.
Government assistance expands later
As community efforts continued, government departments expanded formal support channels.
The Tai Po District Office opened nine temporary shelters and arranged shuttle buses to transport evacuees from affected blocks.
Care Teams from various districts joined staff to help register evacuees and distribute basic items inside shelters.
Authorities also began preparing assistance for eligible families applying for the Emergency Relief Fund and the Special Assistance Fund.
Shelters fill as donations continue
At the Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre, about 200 people rested on tatami mats arranged across the floor.
Other evacuees slept in a nearby community hall and lift lobbies.
Staff and volunteers helped residents apply for medication refills, pick up warm clothing and receive essential supplies.
A resident of Wang Fuk Court, Ms Ng, told local media she had gathered enough blankets, clothes, water and meals for several days.
She and her husband stayed at a friend’s home on the first night and planned to seek space at a government shelter as conditions stabilised.
Death toll risen to 94 as of 28 Nov morning
As of 28 November, the death toll from the devastating fire has risen to 94, among the deceased is a 37-year-old firefighter.
Another 76 people have been injured, including 11 firefighters, while 25 emergency calls for help remain unresolved.
Authorities had earlier said that contact had been lost with 279 individuals, but as of Friday morning, no updated figures on the number of missing persons have been provided.
It remains unclear how many people may still be unaccounted for inside the estate.
Rescue and firefighting operations continue across the scorched estate, where some 4,800 residents lived in nearly 2,000 flats across eight residential towers.
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