Months after Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades, Wang Fuk Court residents say the government buyout sidelines those who want to go home
A Community Displaced, a Government That Decided Without Them
On November 26, 2025, a catastrophic fire tore through Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate overlooking Tolo Harbour in Tai Po, Hong Kong. By the time the flames were extinguished, 168 people were dead — the deadliest fire Hong Kong had seen in nearly eight decades — and close to 5,000 residents had been displaced from their homes. Authorities later attributed the rapid spread of the fire to substandard scaffold netting and flammable foam boards allegedly used to cut costs during an ongoing renovation project. Now, months later, a new and quieter crisis is unfolding as the government rolls out a resettlement plan that some survivors say does not reflect their wishes.
The Buyout Plan: What the Government Is Offering
In late February 2026, Hong Kong’s Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong announced a government buyout scheme for the roughly 1,700 apartment units in seven of Wang Fuk Court’s eight towers, which suffered what officials described as “irreversible” internal damage. The government is offering HK$10,500 per square foot for units where land premiums have been paid, and HK$8,000 for those where they have not. A flat-for-flat exchange option is also available, with Kai Yeung Court in Kai Tak listed as the most popular alternative among those surveyed. The total cost of the plan is estimated at HK$6.8 billion — approximately USD $870 million — with HK$4 billion funded by taxpayers and the remaining HK$2.8 billion sourced from a relief fund of private donations. Financial Secretary Paul Chan confirmed the HK$4 billion allocation in the 2026 Budget. Officials say on-site redevelopment is “not appropriate” because it would take at least nine years and rebuilding is neither technically viable nor economically practical. The site would instead be converted into a park or community facilities.
Survivors Push Back: “This Isn’t How Things Should Work”
Not everyone is satisfied. Flat owner Jason Kong, who spoke to the Hong Kong Free Press, said the pressure to accept the buyout felt coercive. “It feels like we’re being pressured,” Kong said. After authorities signalled that new legislation could be passed to forcibly acquire title deeds from homeowners who refused to sell, Kong added: “This isn’t how things should work; you need to find a win-win solution.” Kong also noted that the wishes of some owners had not been respected. His frustration is shared by many. In mid-January, more than 1,100 homeowners from approximately 400 households signed a petition calling for the estate to be rebuilt on the same site. The petition was delivered to both Hong Kong’s Legislative Council and the Beijing Liaison Office — a telling detail that reflects the limited political options available to Hong Kong residents in the post-2020 political environment.
A Survey That Raised More Questions Than Answers
The government conducted a questionnaire among residents before announcing its plan. According to official figures, only 9 per cent of respondents insisted on on-site redevelopment as their only option, while 22 per cent supported it but were open to alternatives. Officials cited these numbers to justify the buyout approach, claiming it represented the “greatest common denominator.” But some residents questioned the survey’s framing. Luk, a resident who lost multiple family units in the blaze, described the questionnaire questions as “perfunctory.” Another resident, identified only as Pat, told HKFP that government officials simply did not want to engage with on-site rebuilding because it would be more complicated. “It just felt like the government does not want to consider it because it could be more troublesome and more complicated for them,” Pat said. The right to housing and the right to be consulted over decisions affecting one’s home are recognised in international human rights frameworks. Critics argue that Hong Kong’s top-down handling of the Wang Fuk Court resettlement reflects the broader erosion of public participation in governance following Beijing’s national security crackdown.
The Human Cost of Displacement
Beyond the political argument, the story of Tai Po is a story of individual lives upended. Isabelle Cheung and her mother were relocated to Aberdeen, a district she had visited only once as a child. She gave up her part-time job in Tai Po to make the move. Elderly residents face long cross-district journeys for medical appointments, with the Home Affairs Department and Transport Department pointing at each other when residents ask for assistance. Kong, who helps coordinate resident advocacy, said elderly survivors in particular were bearing the heaviest burden. For some, the buyout money may be sufficient. For others — especially long-time homeowners with deep community roots in Tai Po — no financial sum replaces proximity to neighbours, familiar streets, and the life they built there.
Accountability and Transparency Still Awaited
The deadly fire itself remains under investigation. An independent government committee chaired by Judge David Lok held its first public meeting in February 2026, inviting residents to submit applications to give evidence. The fire is widely understood to have been accelerated by corner-cutting during the renovation project at Wang Fuk Court, raising serious questions about regulatory oversight, construction industry standards, and corporate accountability. Until the investigation produces findings and assigns responsibility, residents will be left to navigate their displacement without full knowledge of what caused it. For a community that has already been denied a democratic voice in Hong Kong’s governance, being denied transparency about the disaster that upended their lives adds another layer of injustice to an already deeply painful situation.
Pui Yi Cheung
Economy & Labor Journalist, Apple Daily UK
Contact: puiyi.cheung@appledaily.uk
Pui Yi Cheung is an economy and labor journalist with expertise in employment trends, small business dynamics, and workers’ rights. Educated at a respected UK journalism school, she received formal training in economic reporting, data literacy, and investigative techniques, equipping her to cover complex financial topics accurately.
She has contributed to Apple Daily and other liberal Chinese newspapers, reporting on wage policy, employment conditions, labor organizing, and the economic challenges facing diaspora communities. Her work emphasizes firsthand interviews and careful examination of official statistics and regulatory documents.
Pui Yi brings real newsroom experience in translating economic data into accessible reporting without sacrificing accuracy. She is known for methodical fact-checking and for consulting independent experts when covering technical subjects.
Her authority is reinforced by consistent editorial oversight and adherence to transparency standards, including clear sourcing and prompt corrections when required.
At Apple Daily UK, Pui Yi Cheung produces trustworthy economic journalism grounded in evidence, professional experience, and public-interest reporting.
