Residents of the only block left largely unscathed in Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire arrived with large suitcases, trolleys and cardboard boxes as they return home for a second time to collect their belongings, including refrigerators and washing machines.
Lifts in the block were put back into service for the first time since the November 26 fire engulfed seven of the eight blocks in Wang Fuk Court, killing 168 people and displacing nearly 5,000.
During the three-hour session, residents were seen moving heavy appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and bicycles into the courtyard at Tai Po Baptist Public School, before loading them onto moving trucks.
A woman surnamed Sin, who returned to Wang Chi House in the afternoon with her mother and sister, said they had only managed to gather winter clothing and valuables when they returned to their flat in December and hoped to retrieve other appliances such as their washing machine this time.
Sin, who said she had lived on the first floor of the building since birth, said that this should not be the last time Wang Chi House residents were allowed to return home.
“We have not sold our flat yet; it still belongs to us,” she said.
A retiree surnamed Lam, who lived on the sixth floor of Wang Chi House, said she felt mixed emotions returning home and lamented that she could not take her flat’s new furnishings and appliances with her.
“I recently renovated my flat, expecting to retire comfortably,” she said, choking up.
“Man’s plans cannot compare to God’s plans.”
She said she was a driver and had returned home to retrieve important service awards she had won over the past two decades.
Lam said her social worker had hinted at a potential third round of packing, but she preferred to wait until the government resettled her into a permanent home before moving larger furniture, as she was currently living in transitional housing.
Another resident, also surnamed Lam, arrived with a large suitcase and said he felt “heavy” returning to his parents’ flat due to the loss of life and having lived in the estate for more than 30 years.
He returned with his siblings to retrieve items such as photo albums after his family collected essentials during a 90-minute visit last December.
Lam planned to video call his parents from the flat to show them its condition and what they should keep or leave behind.
“I’ll also take photos of the flat because we never know when we can go back next, and in case it is ransacked or something gets damaged,” he said.
Police received 131 reports of suspected thefts from residents of seven fire-ravaged blocks after they returned home over a 15-day period that started in April.
But only 19 cases were being investigated, with the rest resolved after the items were recovered with police help, confirmed destroyed in the blaze or showed no signs of ransacking.
Another resident, surnamed Lui, said it would be safer to treat Wednesday’s visit as “his last”.
He planned to take small household appliances and clothing, while expressing concern about possible mould in his flat.
Residents of Wang Chi House were allowed to access their flats last December to collect belongings.
The latest arrangements will see residents return in batches over the next five days, beginning with the lowest floors.
Nearly all residents of the seven other towers have already returned to retrieve their belongings.
The government said 6,265 people from 1,674 households took part in the return programme that began on April 20, including non-residents of the estate in Tai Po who were lending a hand.
Of the 1,736 flats across the seven blocks, 924 sustained various levels of damage, with some reduced to ashes. Each household was given three hours to collect its belongings.
Residents of the fire-damaged blocks will be allowed to return a second time to collect more of their belongings from May 21 to 29. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
