Arrangements for residents of seven fire-affected Wang Fuk Court blocks to collect belongings from their units
The Government today (March 27) announced details of arrangements for residents of the seven fire-affected blocks at Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po, to return to their units to collect personal belongings. From April 20 to May 5, residents of the seven blocks will be assigned designated time slots to return to their units in batches.
The Head of the Task Force on Emergency Support and Fund-Raising and Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Cheuk Wing-hing, stated that the arrangements involve meticulous planning, substantial manpower deployment and support measures. After considering factors such as building conditions, visitors' safety and manpower support, the access arrangements will not only be organised by block but also by floor and unit, in batches.
The five blocks - Wang Sun House, Wang Yan House, Wang Tao House, Wang Kin House and Wang Shing House - will each be opened for three days. Approximately 10 floors will be opened in total daily in the morning and afternoon sessions. Units on each floor will be opened on a staggered basis, both horizontally and vertically, to prevent residents of adjacent units and units immediately above or below from visiting the units at the same time, so as to ensure smooth traffic flow and minimise possible risks. Wang Cheong House and Wang Tai House, which sustained more severe fire damage and require additional support for residents, will each be opened for six days, with approximately five floors to be opened daily.
The seven blocks will be opened in three rounds. The first round (April 20 to 22) involves Wang Sun House. It will be opened first to test and refine the process. The second round (April 23 to 28) involves the opening of Wang Cheong House, paired successively with Wang Yan House and Wang Tao House. The third round (April 29 to May 4) involves the opening of Wang Tai House, paired successively with Wang Kin House and Wang Shing House. Under this arrangement, the opening of all seven blocks will be completed in 15 days. Details of the timetable are provided in the Annex.
Regarding the number of people allowed to return to their units, a maximum of four residents may enter together for a single entry and exit. In some units where certain areas have been cordoned off due to structural damage, only two residents are permitted to enter. A small number of units were severely damaged by the blaze, resulting in significant structural damage. Only one resident is permitted to enter those units. Excluding walking time, residents may stay inside the unit for up to three hours. Each day will have two visiting sessions: the morning session from 9am to 1pm, and the afternoon session from 2.30pm to 6.30pm.
Mr Cheuk added, "The lifts in the affected blocks are out of service, so walking up the stairs will be physically demanding. Residents of higher floors may need to climb 20 to 30 flights of stairs, which is not easy. They should seriously consider their physical condition and act within their limits."
Under the "one social worker per household" service, social workers will notify households of their arranged date and time slot, assist with pre-registration of the persons who will go to the units, and provide the relevant guidance notes to residents. Social workers will brief residents on the conditions of their units, including whether some areas have been reinforced or cordoned off. If a unit is severely damaged, social workers will show residents the photos to prepare them mentally or assist in their making informed decisions on returning to their units or, alternatively, authorising a suitable relative or friend to go on their behalf.
On the day of returning to their units, the pre-registered persons for each household will be accompanied by social workers to register at Kwong Fuk Community Hall. To ensure residents' safety, they must wear safety helmets, protective gloves and face masks when entering the estate and going upstairs. Police officers or Civil Aid Service (CAS) members will accompany residents while they go up and down the buildings and enter units. For units with fatalities or for residents with special needs, the Social Welfare Department will arrange accompanying personnel. Each floor, the main and rear entrances, and the stairwells will be guarded by police officers. A special team comprising social workers, clinical psychologists, mobilised civil servants, and CAS members will also stand by on different floors to provide additional support.
Mr Cheuk continued, "The post-fire environment is harsh. Arranging access is not easy. Many bureaux and departments have to commit substantial manpower and resources and eliminate safety hazards for this to happen. The seven blocks involve over 1 700 households and nearly 7 000 people who will return to their units. We must co-ordinate and divide duties among many departments, in terms of resident escort, crowd management, emotional support, and emergency response. The deployment is therefore highly challenging and complex. Over 1 000 colleagues of different departments, including the Police, the Housing Department, the Home Affairs Department, the Social Welfare Department and the CAS, as well as civil servants mobilised by the Civil Service Bureau, will participate daily in carrying out the arrangements. The current arrangements are made after repeated discussion and are reasonable and justified. We urge residents to follow the assigned times so that all households can return to collect their belongings as soon as possible."
Source: AI-found images
