The Feelings of Residents of Wang Chi House when They Can Come Back to Take Their Belongings

2025-12-05 16:48 Last Updated At：17:42

The Tai Po fire has caused over a hundred casualties so far. As for the police, they have completed the search work in five buildings of Wang Fuk Court. At present, the residents of Wang Chi House, the building in Wang Fuk Court that has not been affected by the fire, can start to return to the building to retrieve their important personal belongings. Each household is limited to two people entering Wang Chi House at the same time and can stay there for a maximum of one and a half hours.

Mrs. Szeto, a resident of Wang Chi House living together with her family members for over thirty years, said that she had experienced great emotional ups and downs in the past week. During the interview, she even choked with sobs several times. She said that with the help of the social worker responsible for taking care of her family, she stayed at a hotel for a few days. Nevertheless, as for the arrangement in the future, she thought there were still many unknowns. Mrs. Szeto pointed out that many transitional houses are now fully occupied, only the houses in Yuen Long and Ta Kwu Ling would be available. However, she and her family cannot live in such a faraway place. "The distance is too far. We can't go to work on time."

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The residents of Wang Chi House can be allowed to enter the building and take some personal belongings. Photo by Bastille Post

Mrs. Szeto, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Yik, Photo by Bastille Post

Grandma Wong, Photo by Bastille Post

Her pet dog Lily, Photo by Bastille Post

The residents of Wang Chi House can be allowed to enter the building and take some personal belongings. Photo by Bastille Post

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The residents of Wang Chi House can be allowed to enter the building and take some personal belongings. Photo by Bastille Post

Mrs. Szeto, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Yik, Photo by Bastille Post

Grandma Wong, Photo by Bastille Post

Her pet dog Lily, Photo by Bastille Post

The residents of Wang Chi House can be allowed to enter the building and take some personal belongings. Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Yik said he still felt quite heart-shaken when recalling his fleeing. Although he successfully took his cat to run out of the building together with him, he admitted that everything he saw and heard at that time was "so terrifying". Mr. Yik pointed out that the fire alarm didn't go off at all on that day. He only learned about the fire when he received a call from his son. In a panic, he only took the cat and fled as fast as he could. When he was allowed to return to Wang Chi House to take some personal belongings, he brought some clothes and valuable items back with him. In his eyes, the government had arranged sufficient time for them to adjust their emotions and living pace recently. Moreover, he also expressed sincere thanks to all the volunteers for helping him carry the luggage. Mr. Yik pointed out that since his wife worked in a hospital, his family could have the chance to stay in a hotel for these days.

The 98-year-old Grandma Wong and her pet dog Lily had left Wang Chi House safely when the fire disaster occurred. Since she was allowed to take some personal belongings from her home recently, she returned to her residence to retrieve some documents with the company of helpers. She said that since the hospital had already arranged for the medicine she needed to take to be delivered to her hand, there was no need for her to retrieve the medicine from home. After the fire, Grandma Wang has been living with her daughter these days. At the time of the incident, her daughter-in-law called to inform her of the fire. When Grandma Wong opened the door to flee, her dog Lily walked away for some time. Fortunately, Lily still waited for Grandma Wong and the foreign domestic helper to leave together.

When recalling the moment of the incident, Grandma Wong said she still felt quite shocked these days. "My body feels like jelly at that time." She said that when she got back home today, the social worker kindly helped her tidy up all the food that had been kept for days in the refrigerator. When asked about her plan in the future, Grandma Wong said that she hoped to return to her old residence in Wang Chi House after the building could be unblocked, saying, "I want to go back and live in my own home."

Loss and Salvation Coexist in the Fire: Though Homes Are Reduced to Ashes, Hope of New Life Still Lives On for Wang Fuk Residents

Today (May 4) marked the final day of the first round for Wang Fuk residents to go upstairs and retrieve their belongings.

Ms. Au, a resident of Wang Tai House, said she had been informed that most of her belongings had been destroyed in the fire, so she did not feel panicked or anxious about going in. "But once we got inside, the unit was such a mess that we didn't even know where to start," she recalled. "We spent three hours just walking around, unsure where to begin looking." She had hoped to find her wedding ring, but it was nowhere to be found.

Even though she knew her home had been burned to ashes, seeing the once-familiar park and lobby transformed into something unrecognizable was still heartbreaking. She described feeling as though she was stepping into a place she had never been before.

For Ms. Au, her unit was more than just a home. It was the first place she and her husband lived after getting married, and the place where their three children were born and raised. Over 11 years, they built their lives from scratch there, making every corner of the unit deeply meaningful.

She added that her children had hoped to find keepsakes left to them by relatives who had passed away. "Their great-grandmother gave a baby trike, but when we found it, only the metal frame remained." Ms. Au and her family planned to return to the unit in the future, not just to search for more belongings, but also to say a proper goodbye. She shared that her children have been expressing their grief through drawing and other means of creation these days. With the assistance of social workers and psychologists, she and her husband are gently guiding their children to accept that their home disappeared overnight.

Near the mailboxes in the building's lobby, Ms. Au placed flowers, food, and drinks to mourn the neighbors who lost their lives in the tragedy. She said the government's requirement for residents to choose a resettlement solution by the end of August had put immense pressure on her and created significant difficulties. For now, she said, she could only "take it one step at a time." She hoped to learn the cause of the fire and understand why the building had been so severely damaged, so that such a tragedy could be prevented in the future. She also hoped that meetings could be held for residents to voice their wishes and receive clear explanations about the next steps.

Another resident, Mr. Mak, who is over 70 years old, moved into Wang Shing House in 1983. As a designer by trade, he designed all the furniture in his home himself. Today, he retrieved seven loads of furniture from his unit. "Nevertheless, I couldn't take any of the large pieces — the sofas, tables, and chairs were all made of Thai rosewood," he said. Mr. Mak said his home was in relatively good condition, just a little dusty. "I was worried for days, but thankfully nothing was missing." Although he managed to take back his cash and some jewelry, he forgot to collect his paintings this time. "I'll see if I get a chance to return in the coming days," he said.

Mr. Mak hoped the government could arrange for some unfurnished apartments with basic renovations for their resettlement. "I'm worried about running into dishonest renovation workers," he explained. "I don't mind paying. I just want the government to handle the simple renovations. We're already over 70, and the younger generation has to work. We no longer have the energy to deal with these things." His voice choked with emotion as he thanked the many kind people who had helped him since the fire. However, he added, "The contractors and consultants have been very problematic. The government departments shirked their responsibilities at the hearings and ignored the issues that needed fixing. That's deeply unsatisfactory."

Ms. Chong, who lives in Wang Tai House, said her home was in relatively good condition. Many police officers helped her carry her belongings, making the process less tiring. As a painting enthusiast for over a decade, she brought more than 30 paintings out of her home, each with its own meaning. "They mainly show scenery from my travels," she said. Her favorite is a landscape of Vienna, though she couldn't show it to reporters right away, as it would have to be retrieved later. She revealed that she is now working on a painting of Wang Fuk Court as a keepsake to remember the fire.

The Feelings of Residents of Wang Chi House when They Can Come Back to Take Their Belongings

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