Filipina confirmed dead, one hurt in Hong Kong fire

THE fire that engulfed several residential buildings in Hong Kong last week killed an overseas Filipino worker and injured another, government agencies confirmed over the weekend.

“With great sadness, the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong confirms the passing of an overseas Filipino worker from the Tai Po fire incident,” the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong said in a statement on Saturday evening.

“Far from her native home, she had made innumerable sacrifices to provide a better life for her family. The Consulate General extends our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones at this trying time. May she rest in peace.” The consulate did not provide any more details.

According to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), the unidentified Filipina domestic worker died taking care of her employer’s five-year-old daughter. 

Hong Kong on Saturday mourned the 128 people known to have died in a huge fire at a high-rise apartment complex, a toll that is likely to rise with 150 still missing days after the disaster.

Hong Kong authorities have arrested 11 people in connection with the city’s worst blaze in nearly 80 years as they investigate possible corruption and the use of unsafe materials during renovations at the Wang Fuk Court complex.

The fire started on Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 26) and rapidly engulfed seven of the eight 32-storey blocks at the complex that were wrapped in bamboo scaffolding and green mesh and layered with foam insulation for the renovations.

The Philippine consulate also reported another Filipina was hurt by the fire, while 84 have been confirmed safe. Seven others remain under verification.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) said that Rhodora Alcaraz, a newly deployed domestic worker, was injured trying to rescue a three-month-old baby from the inferno.

“(She) is currently in the hospital in critical condition, but she is stable and responding well to the treatment,” the OWWA said in a separate statement.

The consulate general and representatives from OWWA Hong Kong, DMW and Migrant Workers Office visited Ms. Alcaraz, while the OWWA Regional Office paid her family in the Philippines a visit to provide assistance.

The consulate general added that on-the-ground operations are ongoing to ensure the safety of affected Filipinos.

“The Consulate General of the Philippines in Hong Kong is presently continuing its on-the-ground operations to check the welfare of and assist overseas Filipino workers affected by the Tai Po fire incident,” it added. — Adrian H. Halili with Reuters