After the Blaze: Hong Kong’s Migrant Domestic Workers Mourn and Urgently Need Support

Sobs and prayers echoed across Victoria Park and neighbourhood gathering spots as hundreds of migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong mourned victims and searched for missing colleagues following a devastating high-rise fire at Wang Fuk Court. The blaze killed 146 people, and at least 10 of those confirmed dead were migrant domestic workers — a group that often receives limited public attention.

Dozens more remain unaccounted for, according to consular tallies. Hong Kong hosts nearly 370,000 migrant domestic workers, most of them women from the Philippines and Indonesia who care for children and older relatives in the city.

Many workers held prayer meetings on their day off to grieve and to share information about friends who had not been located. Sudarsih, an Indonesian who has worked in Hong Kong for 15 years, said two of her friends were still missing: "God bless, they will be found quickly and are safe." At Victoria Park, participants sang hymns beside a banner that read: "Dearly departed ones: highest respect and recognition to the loyalty and bravery of migrant domestic workers."

In the Central district, about 100 Filipino workers gathered at their usual Sunday spot to pray. "We are praying that hopefully there will be no more casualties in this fire tragedy," said Dolores Balladares, chairwoman of United Filipinos in Hong Kong.

The group also focused attention on accounts of individual bravery. In a widely shared — but unverified — report, a young Filipino worker, Rhodora Alcaraz, allegedly shielded her employer's three-month-old infant with her body; firefighters reportedly found the baby alive and Alcaraz cradling the child and was later taken to intensive care. Organisers and colleagues praised such acts as exemplifying the dedication many migrant workers show in their jobs.

Consular offices confirmed several casualties among foreign nationals. Manila's mission reported that Maryan Pascual Esteban, a Filipino national, was killed in the blaze and leaves behind a 10-year-old son. The Philippine mission also said one Filipino was injured and the status of several others remained unverified. Jakarta's consulate reported nine Indonesians killed, one injured and dozens unaccounted for.

Immediate needs and gaps in support

Relief organisations say survivors urgently require basic items and help replacing lost documents. More than 50 survivors have contacted the Asian Migrants' Coordinating Body seeking assistance; spokeswoman Shiela Tebia said many need clothing — especially underwear — because identity cards and passports were destroyed in the fire. "They are traumatised and some cannot sleep well," she said, while noting that many continue to support grieving employers despite their own losses.

Advocates say official responses have been slow or incomplete. Sringatin, chair of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union, said information from consular authorities was not always timely, prompting unions and community groups to step in to reduce panic and coordinate support.

The Hong Kong government announced HK$200,000 (about US$25,700) in immediate assistance for each bereaved family. Charities and shelters urged authorities to extend more comprehensive aid to survivors who remain in Hong Kong without belongings, identity documents or a clear path to recovery. "What about those who survived? They lost everything they have," said Edwina Antonio, executive director of a migrant women's refuge, calling for inclusion of survivors in relief packages because many are the primary breadwinners for families abroad.

Community groups and consulates have pledged support, but organisers say practical details and long-term plans are still needed. Volunteers and charities are collecting clothing, emergency funds and document-replacement assistance while advocacy groups press for trauma counselling and financial aid that reaches both deceased workers' families and survivors left in limbo.