Holiday fair in Hong Kong raises support for families after Tai Po tragedy

A vibrant four-day street fair is transforming creative and eco-friendly stalls into a source of support for families in rebuilding their homes after the devastating building blaze in the Tai Po area of China's Hong Kong.

The blaze, the deadliest Hong Kong had witnessed for decades, broke out at around 14:50 on Nov 26 at the eight-towered residential estate Wang Fuk Court, which was under renovation. The fire quickly engulfed seven of the towers, leaving at least 159 dead, 79 injured and thousands of families homeless.

Many festive events in Hong Kong were canceled during the holiday season after the devastating fire, but a handful, including this street fair, are going ahead — not for celebration, but for support.

The fair is backed by a major property developer, which has donated 10 million HK dollars to help families rebuild their lives.

"We have been hosting this event for 13 years. For an event hosted for four days, we managed to attract over 50,000 people on a yearly basis. So this year we have dedicated the fair to supporting those has been affected by the recent Tai Po tragedy. All the funds, all the proceeds that is raised would be matched by the company to be donated to the relief effort," said May Lam-Kobayashi, deputy director of Public Affairs at Swire Properties.

At the heart of the fair are Hong Kong's young entrepreneurs. Many of them got their start from the Well Being Start-Up program: seven months of rent-free space, supported by the Housing Authority and real-estate partners. Now, they are using their platforms to give back. "Free rent for half a year has really eased the pressure. We’re grateful for the free space to set up a stall here. It’s given us exposure and really helped raise our visibility," said Lai Yee Shan, founder of the travel-themed gift shop Well Voyaged.

"I first heard about the program by chance on the radio while riding a bus. I already had an online shop, but opening a physical store was just too expensive. So this Housing Authority program has been a real boost for me. And after the fire, with many families still healing, we hope our small, fun products can bring them a bit of positive energy," said Yeung Ka Yan, founder of Zoo's Series, which produces animal-themed gifts.

Holiday fair in Hong Kong raises support for families after Tai Po tragedy

A taxi fleet has been offering free rides to residents and victims in the wake of the recent catastrophic residential building fire in Hong Kong, one of the region's deadliest disasters in decades.

The fire, which broke out at the Wang Fuk Court residential complex in Tai Po on November 26, had claimed 160 lives by Tuesday, with six people still listed as missing, according to authorities.

In response, the "Big Bee" taxi fleet, operated by Sino Development (International) Company, joined several volunteer groups in providing free rides for affected residents.

Beyond transporting displaced survivors, the fleet also assisted in moving donated supplies and volunteers to and from the area.

"In the first few days, drivers came to the site voluntarily to offer help. There were many firefighters and rescuers on site. During the ten days from December 1 to 10, we offered about 100 free rides daily on average, serving roughly 300 residents and fire victims each day," said Sam Wong, founder and CEO of Sino Development (International) Company.

"We are very willing to take part in this effort. Every driver is," said Lui Kai-wa, a taxi driver.

As most displaced residents have now been relocated through government coordination, volunteer taxi drivers are gradually returning to their regular routes.

More than 2,500 displaced residents have moved into transitional housing units, with Hong Kong's Transport Department providing additional public transport services to meet commuting needs.

"There is a gradual decrease in usage, as much of the transportation need for people and supplies has already been completed. Demand is clearly declining," Lui said.

Wong also praised the government's role in the relief work.

"Over the past few days, we've seen the government carry out a tremendous amount of work, especially in response to such a big and serious disaster. Its role has been very significant," Wong said.

Taxi feet offers free rides to residents, victims in wake of deadly Hong Kong residential building fire