Smooth 9-Day Operation: 951 Households Returned to 4 Buildings of Wang Fuk Court for Belongings Retrieval

The third phase of the batch return arrangement for residents of seven fire-damaged buildings at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po began today (April 29th). Five floors of Wang Tai House and ten floors of Wang Kin House were opened for residents to access.

Mr. Cheuk Wing Hing, Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration (middle), Mr. To Wing Hang, Director of Social Welfare (right), and Miss Alice Mak, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs (left) inspected Wang Fuk Court today. Photo by Bastille Post

During an inspection of Wang Fuk Court, Mr. Cheuk Wing Hing, Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration, said that belongings retrieval arrangements for four buildings, involving 951 households and 3,464 residents, had been completed over the past nine days and that the process had run smoothly. Of these, 401 households (894 residents) had entered and exited the buildings more than once. Over the period, authorities received 75 requests for police assistance, 15 reports of residents experiencing physical discomfort requiring help, and 7 cases requiring psychological counselling.

Mr. Cheuk also noted that many residents had expressed a desire to return to their units again over the past week. After completing the return process for residents of Blocks A to G, those from Wang Chi House would be arranged to return in batches from May 13 to 17. Further arrangements will be announced as soon as possible after May 4.

Five floors of Wang Tai House and ten floors of Wang Kin House were opened for residents to access today. Photo by Bastille Post

Regarding earlier reports of items not belonging to residents being found in their units, Mr. Cheuk said the affected residents had already been contacted and that he would accompany them upstairs again in the coming days. Relevant departments would help clear the clutter.

As for the psychological support for residents of Wang Tai House and Wang Cheong House, it had begun before they went upstairs. The Social Welfare Department briefed residents in advance to prepare them mentally. Upon arrival, social workers accompanied them throughout the process, and counselling sessions were held from time to time once residents were back upstairs.

On the earlier dispute between tenants and landlords over the return arrangement, Mr. Cheuk clarified that the purpose of arranging for going upstairs was to retrieve personal belongings. He called for communication between landlords and tenants. If it fails, alternative arrangements will be made for them to go upstairs to collect their possessions.

Mr. To Wing Hang, Director of Social Welfare, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. To Wing Hang, Director of Social Welfare, added that the vast majority of residents had completed the process of returning to their units. The department would continue to provide support to any resident requesting assistance to go upstairs again, adopting a reasonable and compassionate approach.

Miss Alice Mak, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, Photo by Bastille Post

Miss Alice Mak, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs, said the time slot allocated for Wang Chi House residents to return was a bit long. The lift contractor was arranged to conduct maintenance during that period. If lifts had been available, residents might have wanted to retrieve more belongings, but some still were concerned about overcrowding the lifts, so only about six or seven floors were opened at a time.

All residents entering or leaving Wang Tai House today were accompanied by a police officer. For units where a fatality occurred, a clinical psychologist from the Social Welfare Department and social workers would accompany the residents throughout the process.

Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Wong, who has lived in Wang Kin House for over 20 years, completed belongings retrieval and told reporters that her unit was in good condition, but she still felt unhappy about returning. "I've lived here for so many years, but I still have to leave my beloved home," she said. Now residing temporarily in Kowloon City, she plans to find another place to live in Kai Tak or Tai Po. "I don't want to stay in Wang Fuk Court any longer, since I'm a little scared. If there can be another place to choose in the future, I want to look forward," she added.

Ms. Wong, Photo by Bastille Post

She went upstairs for retrieval once, saying three hours was enough. There were no signs of theft or cigarette butts inside, but she did find a lot of rat droppings. She took away the porcelain figurines left by her father, property deeds, documents, money, and jewellery. "I took everything I wanted," she said, adding that she did not plan to go back upstairs.

Ms. So, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. So, who had lived on the 9th floor of Wang Kin House with her youngest son for over 40 years, also said she did not want to return to Wang Fuk Court. She admitted that after five months, she had grown somewhat numb to the experience of returning and would not want to come back anymore. In her view, it's hard to live here any longer. "It's a huge shadow for me," she said.

She hopes to exchange her Wang Fuk unit for a new one. "I want to find a place to live as soon as possible, whichever area can be ready first. I don't want to wait too long."

Ms. To,, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. To, who has lived on the 5th floor of Wang Kin House for seven years, also found her unit undamaged, aside from some dust in the kitchen. "The unit is complete and very clean. I don't even need to wear gloves for retrieval," she said. She expressed joy at being able to retrieve all her cherished belongings, including her daughter's photos, money, and rings, etc.

She revealed that the unit was bought when her daughter got married. "We're still paying off the mortgage, on a unit we can no longer live in." Looking forward to the future, she said she would be satisfied if she could be allocated an ideal replacement unit. "The sad times are over, and I hope to look forward."

She also praised government staff for their helpfulness, saying their assistance deeply touched her. "The social workers and Civil Aid Service were very proactive in helping me. I didn't have to carry anything; they just helped me with everything."

Government staff have provided much assistance to Wang Fuk residents. Photo by Bastille Post