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

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