Last Sunday (30 Nov.), more than a thousand Indonesian domestic workers dressed in black gathered at Victoria Park to mourn their compatriots who died in the devastating blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Some stood with hands clasped in prayer; others bowed their heads in tears. The blaze has now claimed 159 lives, at least ten of whom were foreign domestic workers who had left their homes to care for families in Hong Kong. As the flames spread, many stayed behind to cradle children or support elderly employers, guiding them step by step through the inferno.
Sring Sringatin, secretary of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Union, said many survivors, despite having saved the children and elderly they cared for, are now fearful of what comes next. Their work and accommodation were tied to their employers, many of whom have been left homeless or have tragically died in the fire. This could mean the workers suddenly lose both their income and their place to live, and may even be forced to return home if unable to remain in Hong Kong.
“Foreign domestic workers come to Hong Kong not for themselves,” she said. “They are the backbone of their families; many are mothers.” She urged the Hong Kong government to put in place special arrangements, allowing the affected workers to remain in the city until they find new employment.
Around 230 foreign domestic workers lived and worked in Hong Fuk Court. At the height of the blaze, some clutched infants, one as young as three months, until firefighters reached them. Others braved thick smoke and falling debris, refusing to abandon the elderly, helping both young and old escape against all odds. Many have been hailed as lifesavers by the families they served.
Vame Mariz Wayas Verador, a 39-year-old Filipina worker who arrived in Hong Kong earlier this year, wept as she recalled the moment the fire broke out. Alone with her two-year-old child and the mobility-impaired grandmother, she heard frantic knocking urging them to flee. Opening the door to a wall of smoke, she immediately grabbed the toddler and supported the grandmother down the stairwell.
To shield the child from falling debris, Vame wrapped him in her jacket. From their flat on the 17th floor to the 15th, they were engulfed in smoke; outside, flames raged. A single mother of four waiting for her back home in the Philippines, she prayed continuously: “I must stay alive, and my children are waiting for me. Lord, please help me!” On reaching the 5th floor, she insisted on staying with the grandmother: “I did not leave her behind.”
Another Filipina worker, Rhodora Alcaraz, gained widespread attention in both Hong Kong and the Philippines for her bravery. Trapped with a three-month-old baby, she communicated little as her family issued pleas for help online. When firefighters finally reached them hours later, she was still locked in a protective embrace around the infant. The baby is now in stable condition, while Rhodora remains in intensive care with severe smoke-related respiratory injuries and may require further treatment.
Some survived; others did not. Maryan Pascual Esteban perished alongside the five-year-old girl she cared for. As of 5pm on 30 November, at least ten foreign domestic workers were confirmed dead, with 49 others still unaccounted for. Consular officials from Indonesia and the Philippines estimate that around 230 foreign domestic workers lived or worked in the estate, with a significant number still missing.
Following the tragedy, Mission For Migrant Workers, Bethune House Migrant Women’s Refuge, and the Asian Migrants Coordinating Body set up emergency stations at the scene to provide immediate assistance to affected workers.