"A Spark in the Ashes": Zaku Model Offers Hope of New Life for Wang Fuk Resident After Tai Po Fire

Affected by the Tai Po fire, residents of Wang Sun House have gradually returned to their units to retrieve their personal belongings. Mr. Tam, who has lived there for many years, wore his exoskeleton assistive equipment upstairs. After collecting the belongings, the son of Mr. Tam uploaded a photo of the Zaku figure his father retrieved from their burned unit to a Gundam fan Facebook group. As the post was published, many Gundam fans left comments to cheer the family up.

Mr. Tam and his son, Photo by Bastille Post

The Zaku model retrieved by Mr. Tam, Photo source: Offered by Mr. Tam

Photo source: Offered by Mr. Tam

In the post, Mr. Tam's son shared the fire-damaged Zaku model and commented: "The fact proves that the production material is fireproof." As can be seen from the photo, although the Zaku model shows obvious signs of fire damage, it remains standing upright after being cleaned. Many netizens left messages of condolence. Some simply wrote "take care," while others encouraged the family by saying, "the most important thing is that every family member is safe." Some said that although the model was damaged, "it can be replaced with a new one," and expressed hope that Mr. Tam and his family would soon emerge from the haze of the disaster.

The post published by Mr. Tam's son, Photo source: Screenshot of the FB group

Many netizens left messages of condolence to Mr. Tam and his family. Photo source: Screenshot of the FB group

The Zaku figure that Mr. Tam retrieved after the fire appears to match the series of Fascinations ICONX Metal Earth 3D Steel Model Kit. Based on the model's shape and the unburned parts, the reporter estimated that it is likely a metal sheet assembly-type collectible model. The Product information shows that the MS-06 Zaku II model in this series is made of steel plates and is considered a relatively difficult model to assemble.

Fascinations ICONX Metal Earth 3D Steel Model Kit, Photo source: online image

The devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court not only claimed numerous lives, but also left residents desperate to recover their cherished possessions. Ronnie, a resident of a mid-to-high floor of Wang Sun House, said in the interview after collecting her belongings that she was most grateful to have found a teapot set in her father's room.

The teapot set collected by Ronnie. Photo source: Offered by Ronnie

Ronnie said that her father had suffered acute mental illness as a result of the fire and was still in the hospital. Doctors explained that after experiencing the fire, he seemed to have developed a personal protective shield, refusing to face reality. He is now living as if he were 20 to 30 years ago, trapped in his own world. Since her father had asked her to find the teapot for him, she hoped that seeing it would remind him of his previous days and help him face life anew.

She added that her father, who had been quite mobile before, now needed two people to support him when walking after a long hospital stay. Even though he had wanted to go upstairs with her today, he could not realize such a wish as they live on the mid-to-high floor of the building.

Ronnie shows the photo of teapot set to the reporter. Photo by Bastille Post

Ronnie described the damage to her unit as severe, with many things burned to ashes. The interior was filled with dust, and many items were burned down, so the suitcase she brought to carry her belongings today could barely hold anything except the teapot set. She said, "Even the bicycle was burned and warped." The bathroom sink was also badly burned and stuck to the wall. However, she noted that there were no mosquitoes or bugs in the unit, and it was well-ventilated. As for today, she wore waterproof boots to avoid being injured by wood splinters, and she thanked the volunteers for bringing a shovel and a light to assist her.

Residents of Wang Sun House have collected their belongings. Photo by Bastille Post