Every Brick Here Witnesses 40 Years of Neighborly Bond: Wang Fuk Residents Bid Tearful Farewell to Former Homes

The phased return of Wang Fuk residents to retrieve their belongings came to its 13th day today (May 2), as residents from Wang Shing House and some floors of Wang Tai House were allowed back into their units.

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Some residents, who have lived in Wang Fuk Court for over 40 years, and even some multi-generational families who have lived for decades, likened their connection to the place as feeling like "living here for over 200 years" with "every brick witnessing neighborly bond", emphasizing that this return is not simply "seeing their homes", but rather "taking everything possible, treating it like moving house".

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Mrs. Lee, a mid-floor resident of Wang Tai House, brought flowers grown by a friend into her unit during retrieval. She described her emotional state as "opening a blind box" and reiterated the deep bond among neighbors who have supported each other for over 40 years. "I'm treating this move like a house removal," she said.

Mrs. Lee, Photo by Bastille Post

Mrs. Lee brought flowers grown by a friend into her unit during retrieval. Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Leung, a resident on the third floor of Wang Shing House, said his priority was retrieving valuables and daily necessities, including his personal laptop, long-stored but frequently used documents, and clothing. He noted that large furniture and electrical appliances might not be moved out today. Having lived in Wang Fuk Court for more than 20 years, Mr. Leung admitted he has a strong emotional attachment to the place and hopes to return one day. Though he currently lives outside Tai Po after the fire, he said he would prefer to remain in the district in the future, or at the very least, oppose the complete demolition of all blocks of Wang Fuk Court.

Mr. Leung, Photo by Bastille Post

Regarding the government's resettlement arrangements, Mr. Leung said that acquisition is the easiest management approach for the authorities, as it avoids subsequent disputes and safety liabilities. However, he pointed out that since damage levels vary across blocks and units of Wang Fuk Court, treating all cases equally would effectively amount to writing off repairable assets as waste. If the government intends to proceed with acquisition, Mr. Leung said it should first explain "why restoration is not feasible, why costs are uncontrollable, and why the risks are unacceptable."

The phased return of Wang Fuk residents to retrieve their belongings came to its 13th day today (May 2), as residents from Wang Shing House and some floors of Wang Tai House were allowed back into their units. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Wang Fuk Court, Photo by Bastille Post

Today (April 30) marks the 11th day for Wang Fuk residents to return to their homes to retrieve their belongings in phases. Among them, Wang Tai House and Wang Cheong House are the most severely hit, with a high number of fatalities.

Today (April 30) marks the 11th day for Wang Fuk residents to return to their homes to retrieve their belongings in phases. Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Ng, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Ng, a resident living on a lower floor of Wang Tai House, managed to retrieve a pair of ivory chopsticks and keepsakes related to his children's births. He described his home as "reduced to ashes, and nothing is left." He said he would think about whether anything else had been overlooked this time. "Having waited for four or five months, we could still manage to get something back. I suppose it's OK," he said.

Mr. Chu, Photo by Bastille Post

Mrs. Chu, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. and Mrs. Chu, who live on the middle floor of Wang Tai House, had lived in Kwong Fuk Estate for more than a decade before recently purchasing a unit at Wang Fuk Court. They had just finished renovations and had been living there for less than a month when the fire broke out.

The photo showing the current condition of Mr. and Mrs. Chu's unit, Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Chu said, "The fire can be called a disaster-level. Everything turns to ashes. We have seen some photos of our unit, so we were mentally prepared. There wasn't much hope for the retrieval. We just managed to collect a few pots and bowls, which didn't burn through."

Mrs. Chu wept sorrowfully. "You really have to see it with your own eyes to know how terrible the inner condition can be," she said. Looking forward to the future, she hoped that every Wang Fuk resident could pull themselves up and that the government could provide some possible assistance. "Residents have lost their homes and are displaced. I really hope the government can do a better job to help us."

The pots and bowls retrieved by Mr. and Mrs. Chu, Photo by Bastille Post

The pots and bowls retrieved by Mr. and Mrs. Chu, Photo by Bastille Post

She mentioned that many residents originally lived in large units of 400 to 500 square feet, but the options provided by the government are limited, with only about 100 large units per location available through a ballot. "It still comes down to luck whether you can get one. It feels like everyone has to struggle for them. That doesn't feel good," she said.

The photo shown by Mr. and Mrs. Chu, Photo by Bastille Post

As for Mr. Chu, he said he would not return to the unit again. "There's no point," he said. "Just take a photo as a souvenir, and say goodbye to our past grief."

Wang Fuk residents continued to return to their units to retrieve personal belongings. Photo by Bastille Post