Hong Kong authorities vow to help residents displaced by fire get through winter

Hong Kong’s “top priority” is to resettle residents displaced by the Tai Po fire so they can get through the winter, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has said, pointing to measures rolled out by the banking industry to ease their immediate financial burden.

Chan highlighted on Sunday the banking industry’s emergency support measures that came into effect over the weekend, including repayment grace periods for affected residents and extended operating hours at bank branches in Tai Po.

“We will do our utmost to handle the aftermath and resettle the residents affected by the fire. The top priority is to ensure that these residents comfortably get through the winter.” Chan wrote on his weekly blog.

“After that, we will provide them with continuous and comprehensive support during the transition period and beyond.”

Chan, who earlier cut short a trade trip in Italy to coordinate the finance industry’s response to the fire, visited two transitional housing sites in Tai Po last week and meet displaced residents.

The fire that broke out Wednesday in Wang Fuk Court has claimed at least 146 lives, including a firefighter, and left 79 injured, among them 12 firefighters. The toll is expected to rise.