Four Months After Renovation, Fire Destroyed Their Home. A Wang Cheong House Couple's Saddest Loss? Their Sons' Awards and Certificates — All Burned

Mr. and Mrs. Lee, who lived on the 6th floor of  Wang Cheong House with their sons, had just renovated their unit before the fire. Only four months after the family of four moved in, the tragic fire took everything away.

Mr. and Mrs. Lee, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. and Mrs. Lee admitted that the debris in the unit was piled up like a mountain, and three hours was far from enough for them to retrieve their belongings. They spent the entire time concentrating on the master bedroom and the entrance, while their son's room was almost untouched. "There's so much debris. We had to move it aside just to find anything. There was simply not enough time." Adding to the difficulty, the house was pitch dark, forcing them to hold a flashlight in one hand while using a large light to illuminate the ashes as they searched. In the end, they managed to find some small gold items, including gold earrings and a few wedding keepsakes of sentimental value.

Wang Cheong House, Photo by Bastille Post

Mrs. Lee said she hoped to be allowed upstairs again. "If I could be given a few more hours, I could sit there and slowly go through every corner." What she regretted most was that her son's awards and certificates were not retrieved — they were all burned.

Residents left after they collected their belongings. Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Tse, who went to Wang Yan House to retrieve belongings, said he was a friend of the homeowner and had been asked to collect items on his behalf. He brought his own handcart and even passed some belongings to neighbors. He called the process a "race against time" — balancing stamina, the sheer volume of items, and the time left. "You have to keep asking yourself: can I even get this thing downstairs?" he said.

Mr. Tse, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Tse pointed out that three hours were "very tense" in the debris-filled environment. Without a companion to help, collecting items as desired would have been nearly impossible.

The handcart Mr. Tse brought with him today, Photo by Bastille Post

The reporter observed several support service stations at Kwong Fuk Market offering follow-up assistance to residents, including emotional support booths, a courier service area, and a temporary storage zone. Several mini-storage companies were also on-site, providing free rental and transport services.

Photo by Bastille Post

In a corner of the market corridor, rows of plastic-wrapped suitcases and carts stood neatly arranged, waiting for residents to collect them.

Photo by Bastille Post