May 5, 2026
HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced on Monday a second tax break for Wang Fuk Court property owners as authorities wrapped up the first round of belongings collection by residents of the fire-torn housing complex in Tai Po.
The HKSAR government said in a statement that Wang Fuk Court residents and property owners no longer need to settle their taxes for the 2025/26 assessment year to ease their financial burden.
Earlier in December, the HKSAR government also waived their taxes for the 2024/25 assessment year.
SPECIAL PAGE: Tai Po fire inquiry hearings
Meanwhile, the last day of the first round of belongings collection by residents began on Monday with residents of Wang Shing House and Wang Tai House returning to their homes.
As of Sunday, over 5,500 residents from about 1,500 households have returned to salvage their belongings from their fire-ravaged homes.
In the past two weeks, the HKSAR government has mobilized over 1,000 personnel, on a daily basis, from police, housing, home affairs, social welfare departments to assist the operation.
Many residents lined up outside Kwong Fuk Community Hall with large backpacks to register for entry in the early morning. Some residents have said they hope to get a chance to return to their units again. Other residents brought flowers in memory of their neighbors who perished in the blaze.
The fire broke out on Nov 26 and ripped through seven out of the estate’s eight towers, killing 168 people and ruining about 2,000 homes.