Families of domestic helpers killed in Hong Kong blaze to get nearly HK$800,000

Families of domestic workers who died in the Tai Po fire will each receive nearly HK$800,000 (US$102,718) in condolence and compensation payments, Hong Kong’s labour chief has said. As of 5pm on Tuesday, 10 domestic workers were among the 156 residents confirmed dead in last week’s blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, while the fate of 30 others remained unclear. Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han on Tuesday said families of the deceased workers would receive more than HK$500,000 in statutory compensation, and another HK$250,000 in aid. Of the HK$250,000, HK$200,000 was a token of solidarity, with the remainder to cover funeral and related expenses. “We will make sure only genuine family members are eligible to claim the financial assistance,” Sun said, after meeting Philippine Secretary for Migrant Workers Hans Leo Cacdac at the government’s headquarters in Tamar. “We will work with the consulate to make sure the money is distributed to the right people.” Wang Fuk Court helpers will each receive a payout of HK$20,000 from the Labour Department to cover their loss of income. They will also be eligible for full medical fee waivers until December 21, 2026. Injured workers will receive HK$50,000 if they spent up to six days in hospital, or HK$100,000 for seven days or more. Sun said official figures showed that 235 migrant workers lived at Wang Fuk Court, of whom 10 died in the fire. Three were injured, and 30 remained unaccounted for, he added. Ninety-four of the helpers were Filipino while 141 were Indonesian. The Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (ECO) stipulates a minimum death compensation of HK$514,510 for accidents on or after April 17, 2025, according to the Labour Department This applies when the calculated amount, based on the deceased employee’s age and monthly earnings, falls below the statutory minimum. Employers bear primary liability for death compensation under the ECO, but as they are legally required to take out employees’ compensation insurance policies, payments are typically handled by insurers. Cacdac conveyed the Filipino president’s condolences to the families of those who perished in the fire. The remains of Maryan Esteban, the Filipino who died in the fire, would be repatriated to her family, he said. He thanked healthcare workers for their “successful and innovative” treatment for an injured worker who was in critical condition in the intensive care unit. “She is now recovering. We are hoping to have her home soon to be with her family,” he said. The Philippine government would provide educational support to the children of those injured or killed in the fire, he said. Cacdac said that while some workers remained unaccounted for, they were “not necessarily missing”, though they had listed Wang Fuk Court as their address. “We’ve been able to trace [them] one by one; some have returned to the Philippines, some have moved on to other countries,” he said. “We have been very mindful of the fact they might not necessarily have been in the towers at the time of the incident.” Cacdac added that the Philippine government has accounted for all requests from the families of foreign domestic workers back home, which he said was a “good sign”. The Tai Po blaze claimed the lives of 10 domestic helpers, one from the Philippines and nine from Indonesia. Sun said around 200 construction workers, 19 cleaning staff and about 30 security guards were registered to be working at Wang Fuk Court, adding there were no foreign labourers. In response to complaints that victims of the fire faced complicated paperwork to apply for aid, Sun said a social worker was assigned to each household to guide them in the process. “The social worker can help them settle all these processes and receive the aid donated by many generous citizens and organisations,” he said. Wang Fuk Court was home to 2,000 households before it was severely damaged by an inferno that lasted for 43 hours last week and raged through seven of the eight tower blocks at the complex. All eight blocks had been under renovation since July last year and were covered by scaffolding and green mesh. Sri Wahyuni, a 42-year-old helper, was among the nine deceased from Indonesia. The mother-of-three was found dead last Saturday alongside her elderly employer, aged around 90, in their fourth-floor flat at Wang Cheong House in the estate. The helper’s sister, Yayuk Setyowati, also a domestic worker in Hong Kong, was informed by police on Sunday evening that Sri had died in the fire, confirmed by a DNA test. The two were found by the police, according to the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union. “Perhaps my sister could have escaped, but because she loved the elderly woman so much, she went back into the room,” Yayuk said. Sri had worked in Hong Kong for almost two years and had planned to work for four more years with her employer. “She said she was very happy here,” Yayuk said, adding that Sri had planned to return to Indonesia next year for her daughter’s wedding, before her dreams were ended by the fire.

Families of domestic helpers killed in Hong Kong blaze to get nearly HK$800,000

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Labour chief Chris Sun says government will work with the Philippine consulate to make sure money distributed to right people

Labour chief Chris Sun says government will work with the Philippine consulate to make sure money distributed to right people