Global community expresses condolences, offers help to Hong Kong fire victims

The international community has expressed deep condolences and offered help over the deadly blaze in a residential compound in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which has resulted in at least 128 casualties.

Members of the Mission For Migrant Workers, Bethune House Migrant Women's Refuge, the Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body, and the International Migrants Alliance are in the Kwong Fuk Estate Podium to provide medical aid, counseling and assistance to find temporary shelter to affected migrant workers.

They also have set up hotline numbers that migrant workers can call for help. People who want to offer donation and other forms of support can also call the hotline.

The devastating fire that engulfed seven out of eight apartment blocks at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong's Tai Po district has claimed 128 people's lives as of 3:30 pm on Nov 28.

Completed in 1983, the apartment complex consists of eight blocks for 1,984 households and over 4,000 residents.

The mission and Bethune House have estimated that with 2,000 households, there may be at least 200 migrant domestic workers affected by the fire, which started on Nov 26 afternoon.

The two largest non-Chinese ethnic groups in Hong Kong are Filipino and Indonesian, representing 2.7 percent and 1.9 percent of the population, respectively, according to the 2021 population census by the HKSAR Census and Statistics Department.

The Consulate General of the Philippines in Hong Kong said on Nov 28 that it has confirmed one Filipino was injured, while one is missing. A total of 24 Filipinos are safe. The consulate said it continues on-the-ground operations to help Filipinos affected by the fire.

The Consulate General of Indonesia in Hong Kong also said it will continue to monitor any updates on the situation and is coordinating closely with local authorities on documentation and providing support for Indonesian nationals, including migrant workers, who are affected by the fire.

A hotline and panic button have also been set up to assist Indonesian nationals who are affected, the consulate general said on Nov 27.

Leaders of various countries also expressed their condolences over the incident.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered his condolences in connection with the tragic consequences of the fire in Hong Kong, according to a news release by the Kremlin.

"My heart goes out to the people who have lost their lives and the people who are searching and concerned about loved ones," said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese when answering questions during a news conference on Nov 27.

Harvey Rouse, head of the European Union Office to Hong Kong and Macao SARs, expressed condolences to the families of the victims and support to Hong Kong's firefighters, paramedics, and doctors.

Governments of over 30 countries, including their consulate generals in Hong Kong, also extended their condolences and sympathies to the victims and their families while expressing their wishes for a speedy recovery of those injured and for Hong Kong to overcome the difficult time.

International organizations in Hong Kong have joined to offer support to those in need. The International Social Service Hong Kong Branch, a non-profit organization headquartered in Geneva, said on Nov 27 that it is providing cross border emergency support, resources consolidation, counseling and hotel accommodation for individuals and families affected who happened to be on the Chinese mainland.

It has also set up a relief fund to households affected and sending ethnic minority outreach teams to address the needs of non-Chinese residents affected by the fire.