'Printed Photos Carry a Generation’s Treasured Memories': Wang Fuk Residents Hope to Retrieve Pictures of Late Parents

Today (April 23) marked the first day of the second phase of the batch-by-batch belongings collection for residents of Wang Fuk Court. Mrs. Lee, a resident of the 8th floor of Wang Yan House, said she had lived there since she got married. Her husband and two nephews accompanied an elderly relative to return to the unit to retrieve belongings, while she waited alone downstairs.

Residents of Wang Yan House began to return to their units to retrieve their belongings. Photo by Bastille Post

Mrs. Lee described her unit as relatively fortunate, at least spared from being burned to ashes. She said the government should give residents more opportunities to retrieve their belongings if conditions are safe. While she did not understand why there were so many restrictions, she acknowledged that no one wanted to see any dangers occur. She believed the elderly members of her family had a greater need to retrieve their belongings, since the grandmother's husband had passed away, and many of his personal effects remain in the flat. Mrs. Lee said the grandmother hoped at least to recover the couple's photos as a way to remember the past. She also said the support from the government and social workers had been acceptable, adding that the social workers were kind, regularly checked on her family, and kept them updated on the latest developments.

Mrs. Lee, Photo by Bastille Post

As for herself, Mrs. Lee said she most wanted to retrieve photos. Though some of them have been digitized, she believed there is a difference between electronic and physical copies, since her generation did not initially have digital cameras, making physical photos extremely precious. Those printed photos capture memories of her and her loved ones. Though her parents have passed away, she still has family photos with them, including her wedding photos.

Throughout the period, Mrs. Lee has been standing where she could see her unit and waiting. She said that even though she cannot see the inside at present, the outside still holds memories. She called her unit the first home after marriage, where she lived comfortably. She did not know her neighbours' names but was familiar with their faces. Everyone would greet each other when going downstairs, making her feel the warmth of the estate.

Ms. Lau, Photo by Bastille Post

Another resident, Ms. Lau, living on the 9th floor of Wang Yan House, said she wanted to retrieve a magnet she had bought on a previous trip to put on her refrigerator. She has not received any photos of the current interior of her unit, but estimated that the magnet could still be recoverable. She was accompanied upstairs by her daughter today. She said the three-hour time limit might feel rushed and that she would pack as quickly as possible, taking only the important items. As for her, she hoped to go upstairs again later.

Mr. Cheung, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Cheung, a resident on the 4th floor of Wang Yan House, said he had lived in his unit since childhood for more than 40 years, making him feel like losing a family member after its damage in the fire. He said he wanted to retrieve some items of sentimental value and take one last look at every corner of his home. He said he did not yet know the internal condition of the unit, but a friend had taken photos from a distance and sent them to him. He believed his unit had not been too badly affected by the fire. He prepared two large backpacks today to carry as many belongings as possible.

Seven fire-affected buildings at Wang Fuk Court will be open to residents again for the retrieval of belongings from May 21 to 29. The first batch of residents to return is from Wang Tai House, Wang Sun House, and Wang Yan House. Each unit may be accessed by up to four residents, who may stay inside for up to three hours, with no restrictions on the number of entries and exits.

Wang Fuk Court, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Ho, a Wang Tai resident who has lived there since 1985, said she had already retrieved most of her belongings earlier. This time, she wanted to go through every corner carefully. "Since I have lived in Wang Fuk Court for so many years, I have a deep affection for every part of this place," she said. Despite the heavy rainfall today, she continued her retrieval as scheduled. "I want to take a second, careful look at my home."

Ms. Ho, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Wan, who has also lived in Wang Yan House since 1985, said his greatest wish this time was to retrieve a photo taken more than a decade ago - a picture of his father holding him in their family shop. He grew up in that store and treasures the memory. Mr. Wan revealed that during the previous retrieval, most of his home remained intact, and he had already recovered gold jewelry and the house deed. "I'd be satisfied just to get back a stack of photos this time," he said. Mr. Wan is currently living in government-provided transitional housing, though he believes the living environment needs improvement: "It's hard to cook, the bathroom is tiny, and when it poured yesterday, water leaked right through the ceiling."

Mr. Wan, Photo by Bastille Post

Mrs. Kwok, who lives on a lower floor of Wang Tai House, returned to her old home to retrieve her belongings. She packed up an undamaged umbrella — not particularly valuable, she admitted, but "better than nothing." She also recovered some small souvenirs and her son's Octopus card. Describing her mixed emotions, she said she was grateful to see her old neighbors again, yet could not hide her sadness in the face of the disaster. Choking back tears during the interview, she said, "I'm so grateful that so many people have come to help us. I'm very happy that I can come up again today and retrace the memories of the past." She added that she had known the family in unit 802 for many years and had watched their children grow up. She revealed that the neighbor's father had died in the fire and that many of the neighbors she knew also lost their lives. Mrs. Kwok said she is currently staying in Kai Tak, while her husband is temporarily living at their son's home.

Mrs. Kwok, Photo by Bastille Post

Wang Fuk Court, Photo by Bastille Post

Seven fire-affected buildings at Wang Fuk Court will be open to residents again for the retrieval of belongings from May 21 to 29. Photo by Bastille Post