Back to the Ashes: Residents Share Reflections After Retrieving Belongings from Burned Units

2026-04-20 19:05 Last Updated At：19:05

Residents of Wang Sun House in Wang Fuk Court started returning to their fire-damaged units today to retrieve their possessions, with many feeling anxious as the true scale of the destruction remains unclear.

Mr. Chung, who lives on a lower floor of Wang Sun House, said his family members had already left with a truck after collecting their belongings. Today, he focused on retrieving items such as a laptop, photos of his son, some paintings, and other valuables. Clothes of little worth were left behind for now.

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Mr. Chung, Photo by Bastille Post

Wang Sun House, Photo by Bastille Post

Wang Fuk Court, Photo by Bastille Post

Residents of Wang Sun House in Wang Fuk Court returned to their fire-damaged units to retrieve their possessions. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

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Mr. Chung, Photo by Bastille Post

Wang Sun House, Photo by Bastille Post

Wang Fuk Court, Photo by Bastille Post

Residents of Wang Sun House in Wang Fuk Court returned to their fire-damaged units to retrieve their possessions. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

He admitted he feels lost about his future life. "I took my things, but I don't know where to put them," he said. His own unit was fortunate not to have been severely burned, allowing him to pack up relatively quickly and retrieve everything he needed. He noted that some other units were almost destroyed by fire, and their residents would need much more time to collect their belongings.

Describing the conditions inside the building, Mr. Chung said that although blackened, the stairwell was in better shape than he had expected. The windows had been burned out, but ventilation remained good. He praised the on-site personnel as very enthusiastic and helpful. Inside his unit, he saw only a few bugs, and everything else was relatively intact. The smell was not overwhelming, though it felt extremely hot.

Looking ahead, Mr. Chung expressed deep sadness over resettlement. With property prices now soaring, he doubts whether he can afford a new home. His current unit is over 400 square feet, but he fears he may have to move into one of just over 300 square feet. He hoped the government could offer more help in the future. "The compensation may only cover the house itself; there's no money left for renovations," he said. Even if he changes homes, it would be difficult for him to start a new life if he cannot afford the cost of interior decoration. He hoped the government or frontline groups could provide renovation allowances or other forms of support.

Another resident, Mr. Ng, said he and one family member were allowed upstairs to collect belongings, accompanied by a social worker. Due to the regulations, only two people are allowed to enter the unit at a time. With pre-registration, they put on protective gear before going upstairs to their burned household. From photos that had been sent to him earlier, Mr. Ng said the walkway leading to his home was blackened, and both the floor and ceiling had been severely burned. However, due to the layout of the unit, the kitchen and living room are not visible from the entrance, so the true scale of the damage inside still remains unclear. His greatest concern is for valuables and items of sentimental value, especially souvenirs he and his wife had collected together over the years. "I hope we can retrieve the valuables," he said.

He revealed that his family had been renting the unit for some time, but after the fire, they had to find a new place to live. Although he was feeling a bit down, he tried to maintain a calm mindset. "I have now adjusted myself," Mr. Ng said. He mentioned that he mainly brought protective gear and plastic bags for going upstairs to collect belongings, estimating that it might take one or two more times for him to retrieve all the things he needed.

As for future resettlement, Mr. Ng had no clear plan yet and could only take things step by step. Though he worried about the risk of burglary in his burnt unit, he acknowledged, "There's no way to control that." For now, his priority is to assess the damage to his unit as quickly as possible and arrange for the safekeeping of valuable belongings.

Another resident, Sister Wan, was allowed back to her fifth-floor flat to collect her belongings. She said that while she "wanted to retrieve everything," she had to prioritise small and important items because she would have to climb the stairs and worried that she and her family might not have enough physical strength to carry heavy loads. Having undergone some physical training before, she said she believed the fifth floor would be manageable and that with her family's help, she should be able to cope.

She added that a social worker had previously sent her a photo of her unit, but it was hard to make out the actual interior damage. She was most worried about keepsakes, especially those tied to memories of her husband and son, noting that she would be heartbroken if she couldn't take them all away.

Wang Fuk Court Residents Allowed Upstairs to Collect Belongings Starting Today

Residents from seven fire-affected blocks at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po can return in phases from today until May 4th to retrieve their belongings. This morning, Mr. Cheuk Wing Hing, Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, along with Mr. Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr. Tang Ping Keung, Secretary for Security, Ms. Winnie Ho, Secretary for Housing, and Miss Alice Mak, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, inspected the site and visited Kwong Fuk Community Hall to review the registration centre and supply collection process. They then proceeded to Wang Sun House to assess staffing and response arrangements, and checked the joint command centre and the general information centre. Mr. Cheuk Wing Hing said all personnel on site are ready and in position.

Today, 78 households from Wang Sun House, totalling 269 residents, registered to go upstairs to collect their belongings. Mr. Cheuk stressed that arranging for residents of the seven blocks to go upstairs required extensive preparation and manpower. More than 1,000 staff were deployed today, including 500 from the Police Force, Civil Aid Service, Fire Services Department, and Auxiliary Medical Service; 260 from the Home Affairs Department (including members from Care Teams); 150 from the Social Welfare Department; around 40 from Housing Department and Housing Bureau; and dozens of other departmental colleagues.

To ensure residents' safety and protect their belongings while entering and exiting the fire-affected buildings, the government has conducted several measures: residents are provided with helmets, masks, gloves, and other protective gear, and are accompanied by the Police Force or Civil Aid Service personnel when entering and leaving their units. The police officers are also stationed in the ground-floor lobbies of each building to prevent unauthorised entry. Furthermore, police officers are present on all accessible floors to guide residents and prevent them from wandering into unsafe areas.

Mr. Cheuk added that if residents feel unwell during their upstairs process, the Police Force and Civil Aid Service personnel will provide immediate assistance. For every ten floors opened, four dedicated teams, including social workers from Social Welfare Department and clinical psychologists, will be deployed to support residents in need. The Fire Services Department and Auxiliary Medical Service personnel will also stay on-site to offer emergency and medical services. Residents who remain distressed or unwell after leaving the building can reach out to social workers for psychological counselling.

He noted that since announcing the upstairs belongings collection arrangements at the end of March, the government has been considering how to meet residents' needs better and has made several adjustments to facilitate access: If circumstances and order permit, residents may be allowed to return to their units more than once within three hours; to help residents carry their belongings more easily, pick-up points for free shuttle buses and taxis have been moved inside the police cordon and positioned as close as possible to the building position to reduce walking distances; and, considering that residents may stay inside the building for several hours and need restroom access, Housing Bureau has added temporary non-flush toilets in electrical meter rooms on every other floor; cleaning staff will replace the waste bags when full, sparing elderly and other residents the strain of repeatedly climbing stairs.

Mr. Cheuk further pointed out that recent hot and rainy weather could lead to a rise in mosquito activity. Food and Environmental Hygiene Department has conducted mosquito prevention work in each building before residents go upstairs. He urged residents to stay aware of their surroundings and their own health conditions while going upstairs to ensure safety. In addition, Mr. Cheuk said he has recently received feedback from residents that some reporters have contacted them requesting to accompany them upstairs. He understood that for many residents, retrieving belongings or saying goodbye to their units is a private and emotional matter, and they wish to do so quietly. He therefore appealed to reporters not to seek permission to go upstairs for interviews, adding that the government would not approve such requests.

Mr. Tang Ping Keung also said the Police Force or Civil Aid Service personnel will be stationed on each floor to provide immediate assistance, including handling residents’ unwell problems, as these colleagues have taken professional training. Auxiliary Medical Service personnel are also on-site to offer further medical help if needed.

Mr. Tang also noted that Fire Services Department personnel, including ambulancemen, are stationed on-site, and the government has positioned several ambulances ready to transport residents to the hospital if necessary. Regarding residents in need of assistance, he expressed confidence that the Police Force or Civil Aid Service personnel would respond in a humanized approach and do their utmost to help anyone they see requiring support.

Mr. Chris Sun said today’s arrangements are primarily designed to help residents with their belongings collection. Each household may send up to four people upstairs, which may be limited depending on the condition of the unit. He pointed out that, as previously explained, as long as the homeowner registers, a social worker will assist each household with the registration process, which means that, in addition to family members and friends, if social workers are needed, they can also be arranged through the registration system.

Mr. Sun further emphasized that the top priority today is to ensure a smooth process, allowing residents to return to their units, collect belongings, and then safely return to their current homes. He reassured residents that social workers will listen to their opinions, and if there is a need to include non-family social workers as helpers within the four-person limit, the government will assist as much as possible.

Back to the Ashes: Residents Share Reflections After Retrieving Belongings from Burned Units

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