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| Edwina Antonio of Bethune House mans the help desk for migrant workers set up on a podium opposite the fire-stricken estate |
At least two Indonesian domestic workers are among the 75 people confirmed to have died in the fire that swept through seven residential buildings in Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po on Wednesday, Nov. 26, and two others were injured.
The news was released by the Indonesian Consulate General earlier today, Thursday. The Consulate said it continues to coordinate with the Hong Kong Police Force in ensuring the safety of its nationals affected by the tragedy.
In a statement released Thursday night, the Labour Department extended sympathy to the families and employers of foreign domestic helpers who lost their lives in the fire.
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| DETAILS HERE |
The statement said affected FDH employers and FDHs wiht enquiries regarding employment matters may call a dedicated hotline set up for this incident: 3582 8987 for FDH-related matters, or 2929 4054.
Latest reports said the number of those injured had also risen to 76, including 11 firefighters. One other firefighter was among those who passed on yesterday after sustaining injuries while battling the blaze.
Around 200 other people remain missing from the the worst fire to have hit Hong Kong in modern times. Reports from the scene said the blaze had been largely put out though small fires could still be seen in the upper floors of three buildings in the estate.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Authorities said three people from the construction firm that had been carrying out renovation work at the estate since July last year have been detained on manslaughter charges. Initial investigations reportedly revealed that substandard and highly flammable materials were used in the renovation.
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| Data taking from some migrant workers affected by the inferno |
Reports coming from Manila said the Migrant Workers Office in Hong Kong had reported that between 70 and 80 Filipino domestic workers were employed in households affected by the Wang Fung Court fire.
However, they have yet to receive a report of any casualty
among the workers, except for one who was taken to hospital with her employer
and baby ward.
The worker, Rhodora Alcaraz Tunacao, had alerted the
Filipino community to their plight in an audio message she sent to a friend on
Facebook.
Hong Kong media reports say she is in serious condition
at the hospital. Her worried family had told The SUN they have yet to speak to
her directly.
In a statement released last night, the Department
of Foreign Affairs through the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong, said
that they had not received any confirmed reports of Filipinos being killed in
the Maximum Level 5 fire.
“However, the Consulate received unverified information
that some Filipino domestic workers may be trapped inside the buildings. The
Consulate immediately passed on this information to authorities.”
Several Filipino groups and organizations, along
with officers of the Consulate, the MWO and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
had gone to the affected areas to check on the condition of the affected
migrant workers.
They distributed relief packs to Filipino migrant
workers who live in the area and went looking for those who might need help.
In an interview with Philippine media, OWWA
Admnistrator PY Caunan said 19 workers had sought help, mainly with getting
duplicate copies of their passport, contracts and other documents that were
lost in the fire.
The Mission for Migrant Workers and its shelter, the
Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, set up a desk on a podium across the estate
to assist migrant domestic workers who need help, and provide them with relief
goods.
Bethune House executive director Edwina Antonio who was
one of those who manned the help desk said people who were giving away relief
goods to those affected by the fire left some items with them for distribution to
migrant workers.
Antonio said they had spoken with a Filipino migrant
worker who told them that her friend had sought refuge in a temporary shelter
provided by the Hong Kong government. She reportedly told the volunteers that
she saw 22 other Filipinas in the shelter.
