HONG KONG — Hong Kong announced a comprehensive relief package Friday, totaling nearly HK$10 million in direct compensation and aid for foreign domestic workers and their families affected by the catastrophic five-alarm fire that engulfed the Wonderful Life Mansion in Tai Po earlier this week, claiming 151 lives and injuring 79. The relief effort, detailed by Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun and visiting Philippine Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Hans Leo J. Cacdac, focuses on streamlining assistance, providing immediate financial support, and ensuring the humanitarian needs of the surviving workers are met.
The tragic blaze resulted in a disproportionate number of casualties among the building’s essential workforce. Of the 235 foreign domestic workers reportedly employed at the complex, 10 perished, three were injured, and 30 remain unaccounted for, according to Secretary Sun.
Financial Support Targets Victims and Survivors
In a media briefing at government headquarters, Secretary Sun confirmed specific financial disbursements aimed at mitigating the humanitarian crisis. The families of the deceased foreign workers will receive approximately HK$800,000 each, comprising a HK$500,000 statutory compensation payment and a HK$200,000 one-off compassionate grant.
For injured workers, compensation varies based on recovery needs: those requiring extended hospitalization will receive a lump sum of HK$100,000, while those with shorter stays are eligible for HK$50,000. Workers who survived the immediate danger unscathed will receive an ex gratia payment of HK$20,000. Additionally, all surviving workers, injured or safe, will receive an Octopus card pre-loaded with HK$2,000 for emergency expenses.
Crucially, the government stated that all aid payments earmarked for foreign domestic workers will be distributed directly through the workers’ respective consulates—a measure intended to prevent opportunistic scams following reports of fraudulent activity post-disaster.
Coordinated Relief Effort Launched
The fire, which is still under investigation, has highlighted the critical need for coordinated disaster relief. Secretary Sun acknowledged that well-intentioned but disorganized aid from various charitable groups was overwhelming residents, forcing repeated applications for assistance.
To address this, the government convened a meeting with 10 major charities, securing an agreement to centralize relief efforts under the government’s existing “One Social Worker per Household” system. This scheme ensures that a dedicated case worker proactively assesses each affected resident’s needs, handles application processes, and arranges the direct delivery of financial assistance or supplies, eliminating the need for victims to repeatedly fill out forms. Charitable organizations wishing to provide further aid are strongly urged to work directly through the government’s appointed social workers, establishing a cohesive, one-stop service point.
International Cooperation and Repatriation
Philippine Undersecretary Cacdac emphasized the strong partnership between Manila and Hong Kong in supporting the estimated 94 Filipino workers and 141 Indonesian workers who lived and worked in the complex. The consulate has provided immediate resources, including temporary shelter and basic necessities, while actively replacing lost travel and identity documents in coordination with the Hong Kong Immigration Department.
In a poignant human element of the tragedy, Undersecretary Cacdac announced that a Filipino domestic worker who was previously in critical condition in the intensive care unit is now stable and arrangements are underway for her eventual repatriation to reunite with her family.
For foreign domestic workers whose employers perished in the inferno, the Immigration Department has promised a flexible, humanitarian approach to expedite applications for new employment contracts. Furthermore, acknowledging the widespread loss of passports, contracts, and identity cards in the fire, the Immigration Department has established an emergency service to facilitate the swift replacement of these crucial documents, minimizing bureaucratic hurdles for the survivors as they rebuild their lives.
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