Press Release

To assist affected residents of the No. 5 alarm fire in Tai Po in overcoming difficulties, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB) discussed the follow-up measures with 28 retail banks (including digital banks).

Due to the special circumstances of this fire incident, the banking industry introduces six emergency support measures with immediate effect:

1. Establish designated committees, set up dedicated hotlines and enhance information dissemination – All retail banks have today established their respective designated committees led by senior management to coordinate internal resources and guide frontline staff to handle the cases of affected residents with flexibility. Banks have also set up respective 24-hour hotlines dedicated to answering enquiries (see Annex), and will provide details and updates of their support measures via branches, websites and social media;
    
2. Provide a six-month pre-approved repayment grace period to alleviate the immediate financial pressure on affected residents – Banks will offer a six-month pre-approved repayment grace period (including principal and interest) for mortgages, personal loans, and credit card loans etc., of  affected residents, as well as waivers of related penalties and service charges;
    
3. Extend branch service hours and increase manpower in Tai Po to meet the local needs – All retail banks will extend the opening hours of their branches in Tai Po, providing services from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on 29 November (Saturday), and from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm on 30 November (Sunday). Service schedules of the following week will be adjusted as necessary based on actual circumstances. Additional staff will also be deployed to  relevant branches to understand affected residents’ special banking needs;
    
4. Prioritise handling bank account matters and document replacements for affected residents – Banks will assist affected residents or their family members by expediting the processing of related bank accounts, and prioritise helping  affected residents to replace banking documents such as ATM cards, credit cards, and debit cards, with flexible collection or direct delivery arrangements;
    
5. Assist affected residents to access liquid funds with flexibility – Banks will provide special assistance to affected residents who cannot present ID or banking documents, enabling them to access liquid funds and continue using other banking services through alternative identification methods.
    
6. Assist in follow-up of insurance claims — All retail banks will proactively contact  affected residents who have purchased insurance policies through respective banks to assist them in submitting claims applications.

 The HKMA and HKAB once again express profound grief for the deceased in the No. 5 alarm fire in Tai Po and extend the deepest condolences to the affected families. Affected residents can contact banks anytime if they have enquiries or special banking service needs. The banking industry will continue to provide assistance in a timely manner with empathy and flexibility.

At the same time, the HKMA and HKAB would like to take this opportunity to remind the public to stay vigilant at all times to prevent fraudsters from taking advantage of the situation. Whenever receiving calls that claim to be from banks, the public should authenticate the identity of the caller and never disclose personal and bank account information, passwords, or other sensitive information to suspicious individuals. 

Hong Kong Monetary Authority
The Hong Kong Association of Banks
28 November 2025

Annex 

Retail banks’ dedicated 24-hour hotlines

1.	Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited	3669 3070
2.	Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited	3989 3870
3.	The Bank of East Asia, Limited	2211 1812
4.	Chiyu Banking Corporation Limited	2501 3051
5.	Chong Hing Bank Limited	3768 6800
6.	China CITIC Bank International Limited	2287 6668
7.	China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited	3718 3426
8.	CMB Wing Lung Bank Limited	3711 7900
9.	Citibank (Hong Kong) Limited	2860 0399
10.	Dah Sing Bank, Limited	2828 8040
11.	DBS Bank (Hong Kong) Limited	2290 8799
12.	Fubon Bank (Hong Kong) Limited	2104 3362
13.	Hang Seng Bank, Limited	2998 6800
14.	The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited	2233 3066
15.	Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited	3510 1282
16.	Nanyang Commercial Bank, Limited	2616 6020
17.	OCBC Bank (Hong Kong) Limited	3102 2838
18.	Public Bank (Hong Kong) Limited	2853 4777
19.	Shanghai Commercial Bank Limited	2290 3855
20.	Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited	2886 6055

 

Digital banks’ dedicated 24-hour hotlines

21.	Airstar Bank Limited	3718 1818
22.	Ant Bank (Hong Kong) Limited	2325 0303
23.	Fusion Bank Limited	3976 6658
24.	Livi Bank Limited	2929 2908
25.	Mox Bank Limited	3001 1215
26.	PAO Bank Limited	3762 9900
27.	Welab Bank Limited	3898 6988
28.	ZA Bank Limited	3665 3795

 

Remarks:

If affected residents experience any issues when communicating with banks and require assistance from the HKMA, the hotline is 2878 1133. For general enquiries about the HKMA,  the hotline is 2878 8222. Operating hours are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Services will also be available on 29 November (Saturday) and 30 November (Sunday).