Rebuttal / Frequently Asked Questions

Rebuttal

Rumour (1):	There are online rumours that the Government is providing residents of Wang Fuk Court with transitional housing for free only for the first month, after which they must pay $2,000 each month.
Truth:	The Government has been arranging affected residents to move into transitional housing units provided by the Housing Bureau or the Housing Society. The accommodation is provided free of charge.
Rumour (2):	There are netizens’ comments that victims of the fire in Wang Fuk Court are being arranged to move into interim housing units with unfurnished floors.
Truth:	The comments are not fact-based. No affected residents were staying in the interim housing units when the social media post was issued. Currently, some residents of Wang Fuk Court are staying in the interim housing units equipped with furnished floors, beds, small electrical appliances and daily necessities. Affected residents who would like to stay in transitional housing under the Housing Bureau may call 3611 8482. For enquiries on the interim housing and transit centres of the Housing Department, members of the public may call 2658 4430.
Rumour (3):	Some netizens on social media claimed that the Government discarded batches of donated supplies received at the Tai Yuen Community Hall.
Truth:	The comments are not true. The items included a large number of second-hand clothes, shoes, and socks, some of which are heavily stained and damaged. For safety and hygiene reasons, the Government definitely would not allow affected residents to use these items, which will be disposed of properly.
Rumour (4):	There are online comments questioning the cause of the fire and the validity of the death toll announced by the Government.
Truth:	Among the three task forces set up by the Government, the Task Force on Investigation and Regulation is launching an investigation to uncover the truth, pursue accountability and ensure that justice is served. A professional team led by the Fire Services Department with law enforcement agencies is also taking an in-depth look into the cause of the fire. While criminal and fire investigations are proceeding continuously, the Chief Executive announced that an independent committee, to be led by a judge, will be established to conduct in-depth review to examine the cause of the fire and the fast rate that it spread, plus related issues, so as to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. Police have completed searches inside all seven buildings at Wang Fuk Court. Officers from the Disaster Victim Identification Unit continued to search the area around the buildings and near the collapsed scaffolding, which had been confirmed as safe. No human remains were found so far, and the number of the deceased remains at 159 as at December 7.
Rumour (5):	There are recent rumours that the temporary accommodation arranged by the Hong Kong Housing Society at Eminence Tower in Hung Shui Kiu is only available until the end of March next year.
Truth:	The Hong Kong Housing Society indicated that it has set no time limit for the accommodation provided, including transitional housing and units under its rental estates and dedicated rehousing estates, to support the residents of Wang Fuk Court in the meantime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q (1) :	The application process for various support services is complicated. Will the Government provide assistance?
A (1) :	The Government has put in place the arrangement of “one social worker per household”, with dedicated social workers to follow up on residents’ applications for welfare services and other types of support (including financial assistance). We encourage residents to call the Social Welfare Department’s 24-hour hotline at 182 183 to register for the “one social worker per household” service.
Q (2) :	Residents find it difficult to obtain required information about the support services available. Will the Government provide a one-stop platform?
A (2) :	The Government has established a dedicated website “Support Services for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po” (www.taipofire.gov.hk), providing a one-stop platform for information and updates to facilitate public access.
Q (3) :	Is the token of solidarity of $200,000 provided by the Government to the family members of each deceased victim limited only to the residents of Wang Fuk Court?
A (3) :	No. The Government provides a token of solidarity of $200,000 to the family members of each deceased victim. Families of deceased foreign domestic helpers and workers at Wang Fuk Court receive the same payment.
Q (4) :	Are tenants of Wang Fuk Court eligible to apply for the emergency cash subsidy of $10,000?
A (4) :	The Government is providing the emergency cash subsidy of $10,000 to each affected household (including tenants) of the eight buildings in Wang Fuk Court to address their urgent needs.
Q (5) :	Is the living allowance of $50,000 not applicable to building that was not affected by the fire?
A (5) :	All affected residents (including tenants) of the eight buildings in Wang Fuk Court are eligible to apply. They may call the Social Welfare Department’s 24-hour hotline at 182 183 to register.