Residents Voluntarily Expressed Condolences for the Victims of the Tai Po Fire

The Wang Fuk Court is still sealed off at present. Many citizens have come to lay flowers at the nearby open spaces. Some families have come together to express their condolences to the victims. Some citizens expressed their deep sorrow over the numerous deaths at the tragic fire and hoped that the government could do something to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

At the open spaces near the Wang Fuk Court, numerous citizens silently placed the flowers outside the cordon of the building. Many of them lowered their heads or prayed in silence,  mourning for the residents who had lost their lives in the tragic fire.

Mr. Chow and his teenage son, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chow and his teenage son, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chow expressed his condolences to the victims in the Tai Po fire, Photo by Bastille Post

Among them. Mr. Chow came with his teenage son. He said that his son had come to the site to deliver water to the victims earlier. Feeling heartbroken about the fire disaster, Mr. Chow said that he hoped the government could do something in the future to "prevent similar tragic fires from happening again".

In addition, a couple also brought their teenage son to express their condolences. The son said that he had witnessed the fierce flame burning in the Wang Fuk Court when passing by on the bus. Worrying about the residents' recent condition, he came to the site to have a look and wanted to do something to show his concern. The son's mother said that although her son was not too emotionally affected by the incident, they still all hoped to come to the fire site and mourn the loss of the residents.

Hossein Bahrami Nekoo, Photo by Bastille Post

Hossein Bahrami Nekoo, a Hong Kong resident from Iran, said that he had lived in Tai Po for three years and had a very deep emotional connection with the place. "My friends and I had a running group. We often ran together and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Tai Po in the previous days, which made me have a deep love not only forHong Kong but also for Tai Po." After hearing about this fire disaster, he felt deeply grieved since the beautiful scenery he had viewed in Tai Po was destroyed in a flash in this tragic fire. As a resident who used to live in Tai Po, Mr. Bahrami Nekoo decided to come to the site of the fire and lay flowers to express his grief about the deceased residents during his free time at the weekend.

He also mentioned that some of his fellow runners who still lived in Tai Po had voluntarily formed a group to donate and distribute supplies to the victims after the fire disaster occurred. He believed that although the Tai Po fire was cruel for its deprivation of numerous lives, many Hong Kong residents, whether they were his friends around him or the firefighters and police on the front line of rescue, united together to help the victims get through this difficult time. Such a spirit of unity and mutual assistance has deeply moved him.

Mr. Chow (left) and Mr. Lam (right), Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Lam, a university student majoring in Communications, together with Mr. Chow, a Year 11 student from Ling Liang Church M H Lau Secondary School in Tai Po, voluntarily organized an activity of distributing free black ribbons to the residents at the fire site. Mr. Chow said that one of his friends passed away in this fire. Recalling his friend's death, he tried his best to hold back tears during the interview. He said that he hoped to do something to help the citizens affected by the tragic fire get through such a tough time. Even though he might not provide much practical help, he still hoped to reach out a helping hand to the residents. As for Mr. Lam, he said that although no one he knew had died in the fire, he still felt heartbroken for the loss of many Hong Kong people. In his eyes, distributing black ribbons might not directly help the affected residents, but he hoped such a behaviour could offer some emotional comfort to the residents' hearts.

A theft occurred recently at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, with three workers involved in reinforcement work arrested for suspected of stealing valuables from a unit. Mr. Chow Yat-ming, the Commissioner of Police, stated that security at Wang Fuk Court will be strengthened, including requiring workers to undergo body searches upon leaving.

Mr. Chow Yat-ming, the Commissioner of Police, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chow stated that the police suspended all reinforcement work at Wang Fuk Court immediately after the theft. Following a review, four new security measures will be introduced. These include increased police patrols, requiring workers to store personal valuables—such as jewelry, watches, and cash—in lockers before heading upstairs, and limiting each worker to carrying no more than HKD $500 in cash on-site (mobile phones are permitted). Additionally, police will first document any visibly valuable items inside the units, and workers will be subject to body searches and metal detector checks upon exit. The reinforcement work is scheduled to resume on Monday (9th).

Mr. Chow Yat-ming, the Commissioner of Police, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chow noted that during previous work periods, police had registered workers' personal information—including ID card numbers and phone numbers—before officers escorted them to their work floors. Workers were also prohibited from carrying backpacks or bags upstairs. He added that only the three arrested workers have been implicated in the case so far, with no involvement of others found. As of 5 p.m. on March 7, police had received approximately 81 related reports, most of which expressed concerns from residents about unit security. Police will follow up on each report to determine whether theft was involved.

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chow also stated receiving a report from a resident who suspected credit card theft. He urged residents worried about credit or bank cards left in their units to contact their banks immediately to report the loss and arrange for replacements. When asked whether the incident pointed to possible police negligence, Mr. Chow said an internal review would be conducted. If human error is identified, disciplinary action may follow.

Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Photo by Bastille Post