In a massive public response to tragedy, donations for the victims of a catastrophic fire in Hong Kong have reached approximately 900 million Hong Kong dollars (US$115 million). The blaze, which began on Wednesday, 1 December 2025, has claimed at least 146 lives, left 79 injured, and rendered thousands homeless, with around 100 people still unaccounted for.
A Community in Mourning and a Swift Official Response
The fire erupted on Wednesday afternoon at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in the Tai Po suburb. It raged through seven of the estate's eight apartment towers, home to some 4,600 residents, and was not fully extinguished until Friday morning. Over the weekend, disaster identification teams recovered a further 30 bodies, raising the official death toll.
Authorities have acted to support survivors, providing cash subsidies for expenses like funerals and working to rehouse them. By Monday, 683 residents had been placed in local hotels and hostels, with another 1,144 moving into transitional housing. The government has also pledged 300 million Hong Kong dollars ($38.5 million) in start-up capital, with the combined funds earmarked for long-term support and rebuilding.
Scaffolding and Safety Failures Under Scrutiny
The complex was undergoing external renovations at the time of the fire, with all buildings clad in bamboo scaffolding draped in nylon netting and windows covered with polystyrene panels. The Hong Kong Labour Department confirmed that residents had complained about the netting for almost a year.
Officials had carried out 16 inspections of the renovation project since July 2024, issuing multiple written warnings to contractors about fire safety requirements. The most recent inspection was just a week before the disaster. Hong Kong's anti-corruption agency has since arrested 11 people, including directors and an engineering consultant from a construction company.
A Crackdown on Dissent Amidst Rising Anger
As public anger grows over who is to blame for the deadly blaze, the Hong Kong government has moved swiftly to suppress criticism. On Saturday, the Office for Safeguarding National Security issued a statement condemning what it called "evil schemes" to use the disaster to "create trouble and disrupt Hong Kong."
Local media reported that a man who helped organise an online petition calling for government accountability was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of sedition. On Sunday, two more individuals were detained, including a volunteer who offered help in Tai Po after the fire.
Jean-Pierre Cabestan, a political scientist based in Hong Kong, noted that authorities were operating in a manner akin to mainland China, seeking to forestall potential protests. This follows a pattern established since the 2019 pro-democracy protests, where dissent has been effectively quashed and mass protests virtually banned.
The scene at a makeshift memorial near the charred buildings, where mourners left flowers and cards, stood in stark contrast to the political crackdown. "When something happens, we come out to help each other," said Loretta Loh, a visitor to the site. "I have a heavy heart."
