‘Hongkongers’ solidarity’: volunteers pick up pieces for Tai Po fire victims

Against the backdrop of the seven charred residential blocks, an open plaza next to Wang Fuk Court has transformed into a bustling relief centre, manned by hundreds of volunteers aiding thousands of displaced residents on the third day since Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades.

As large quantities of donated supplies continuously flowed into the area, volunteers – mostly mobilised through social media and chat groups – sorted the items systematically and divided the plaza into different zones to distribute supplies and provide free services for displaced residents.

On Friday, several huge maps, handwritten on cardboard and displayed in the area, showed how raw yet organised the nature of the coordination efforts was. They clearly indicated the locations of each zone: bedding, clothing, daily necessities, food, drinks, charging, pet supplies, baby supplies and trash recycling.

A core volunteer in her twenties, Jay, said they sorted donated items and mobilised volunteers via Telegram and WhatsApp groups.

“Some volunteers took on the role as the ‘person-in-charge’ for each type of donated item. They keep track of what we have in Google Sheets and report on what is still needed,” she said.