Hong Kong authorities have insisted that the three-hour time limit is sufficient for residents of the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court to retrieve their belongings, with discretion to be exercised for those requesting a second entry. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing said on Saturday that although each household could register up to four people to…
Displaced residents from the seven fire-ravaged blocks of Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court will be allowed to return to their flats for up to three hours to collect their personal belongings, with the first batch to be allowed back on April 20. Authorities said on Friday that each household could register up to four people…
Hong Kong authorities will announce arrangements this month for residents displaced by the deadly Tai Po blaze to return to their fire-damaged flats and collect personal belongings by the end of April, the city’s leader has said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka‑chiu on Tuesday also said the government would fully cooperate with an independent committee…
Hong Kong authorities have said that residents of fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court will be allowed to return to their flats to collect personal belongings by late April – nearly five months after the city’s deadliest inferno in decades killed 168 people and displaced nearly 5,000 at the Tai Po estate. The announcement came a day…
Hong Kong authorities will continue to provide an annual rental subsidy of HK$150,000 (US$19,193) to victims displaced by the deadly Tai Po blaze, even if they can only move into their new homes 2½ years later under the “flat-for-flat” resettlement scheme, a senior official has said. Deputy financial secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun also said on…
Some affected residents have continued to express reservations over a Hong Kong government plan to resettle survivors of the Tai Po fire, saying they prefer in situ development as they fear an “unfair” flat selection process will leave their families with smaller homes. The residents urged the government to provide more clarity on how the…
Hong Kong authorities will spend about HK$6.8 billion (US$870 million) to buy back homes damaged in the deadly Tai Po fire from flat owners, offering HK$8,000 to HK$10,500 per square foot as part of a long-term resettlement plan involving HK$4 billion in public funds. Deputy financial secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun unveiled the plan on Saturday,…
The Hong Kong government is set to unveil a resettlement plan for owners who lost their homes in the deadly Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po as early as Saturday, offering buy-back options at higher-than-expected prices, the South China Morning Post has learned. Government sources said the acquisition prices for properties without land premiums…
Tai Po district councillors have urged the government to expedite rebuilding plans and offer Wang Fuk Court residents a range of rehousing options after Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, as officials pledged to weigh the pros and cons of each proposal. At the first meeting of Tai Po District Council since the fire on…
Members of an independent committee created to investigate Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades inspected the scene of the blaze on Tuesday morning to get a better understanding of the actual environment and conditions at Wang Fuk Court. Judge David Lok Kai-hong, the group’s chairman, was joined by fellow committee members such as Executive Council…