Various companies and organizations in Hong Kong have arranged donations to support residents affected by Wednesday’s catastrophic fire.

Several McDonald’s outlets — including the Tai Po Market, Tai Wo, and Fortune Plaza branches —will provide free food and beverages to residents impacted by the blaze.

McDonald’s would deliver 1,000 free breakfasts to sports centers and community halls housing affected citizens, including Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre, Fu Shin Community Hall and Tai Wo Neighbourhood Community Centre.

Food distributor Ng Fung-hong said it has activated its emergency response plan, and has delivered its first batch of relief supplies to temporary shelters.

“Everything is gone… I've lost it all,” a woman surnamed Tsang said while talking to China Daily near the fire site on Thursday morning.

She and her husband were not home when the fire started and were alerted by friends. They were prevented from returning to their flat and now await government assistance.

As in previous disasters, massive community support has poured in to assist residents affected by Wednesday’s Tai Po fire. Residents have come forward with clothes, food and other donations to help those in need.

A notice posted at Tai Po Tung Cheong Street Leisure Building read: “Supplies are plentiful. No donations accepted. Thanks for Hong Kong residents’ compassion.”

Many affected residents were collecting relief supplies at the Tung Cheong Street Sports Centre. Among them was a resident surnamed Ho, who lived with his wife on the third floor of Wang Fuk Court.

“We have nothing, no supplies, no medicine. But at least we’re safe.”

The couple said they were fortunate to escape because they lived on a lower floor. But they have been unable to reach many friends who lived on higher levels.

Kwong Pui-lun, who has lived in Wang Fuk Court for 41 years, choked back his tears as he was talking on Thursday morning about many of his friends who were still unreachable.

He was forced to evacuate his home by the deadly blaze and took refuge at the Tung Cheong Street Community Hall at 4 pm on Wednesday. Despite a sleepless night, Kwong said the shelter staff had taken good care of him.

Remaining composed, he recalled how many residents panicked as the fire ripped through the estate.

A volunteer registering the missing at the CCF Fung Leung Kit Memorial Secondary School held a file listing the absent, organized by floor and flat.

Most of the missing were from Wang Fuk Court's Wang Cheong House — reportedly the first of the estate's seven blocks to catch fire — and Wang Tai House.

So far, he had recorded 26 residents looking for their missing loved ones.

A woman surnamed Ng said her daughter and her husband are still missing. She learned of the fire at 3:11 pm on Wednesday and immediately called her daughter, urging her to flee.

Upon arriving at her building around 3:20 pm, Ng wanted to go upstairs and rescue her daughter herself, but the area was already cordoned off. She has been unable to reach her daughter since.

“My building wasn’t fully on fire at that time … I could still see the windows of my home,” Ng cried. “Why didn’t they rescue those trapped in our building before the fire escalated?”

Ng's neighbors downstairs have since been informed of the death of her husband and daughter.

Total 39 daytime franchised bus routes travelling the closed road sections in Tai Po will be affected and diverted.

The Transport Department advised the public to refer to the bus companies' website or mobile application for the latest information on the routes, and use railway services as far as possible.

Franchised bus operators will deploy staff to major bus stops to assist affected passengers and maintain the on-site order. Standby vehicles and manpower have been reserved to meet passenger demand.

The MTR, meanwhile, will enhance the frequency of the East Rail Line trains during the morning peak hours and deploy additional manpower to assist passengers at stations.

A woman surnamed Ran delivered food and daily necessities to CCF Fung Leung Kit Memorial Secondary School, one of the temporary shelters opened for the affected residents.

Her family lives near the blaze-affected area, and after a sleepless night, she was moved to help, especially upon learning that many elderly victims were unaware of the fire until contacted by family.

Ran brought her two children, aged sic and 11, whose classes have been suspended for the day, to teach them a valuable lesson. "I want them to learn gratitude, to appreciate society, and to become caring individuals," she said.

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, who is currently visiting Milan, Italy, will shorten his overseas trip and return to Hong Kong earlier than scheduled due to the devastating Tai Po fire.

Arriving in Milan on Wednesday from London, he was originally scheduled to attend the "Think Business, Think Hong Kong" symposium and the "Hong Kong Dinner" organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council on Thursday. But he will now depart Milan Thursday morning after attending the "Think Business, Think Hong Kong" symposium.