Loss and Salvation Coexist in the Fire: Though Homes Are Reduced to Ashes, Hope of New Life Still Lives On for Wang Fuk Residents

Today (May 4) marked the final day of the first round for Wang Fuk residents to go upstairs and retrieve their belongings.

Ms. Au, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Au, a resident of Wang Tai House, said she had been informed that most of her belongings had been destroyed in the fire, so she did not feel panicked or anxious about going in. "But once we got inside, the unit was such a mess that we didn't even know where to start," she recalled. "We spent three hours just walking around, unsure where to begin looking." She had hoped to find her wedding ring, but it was nowhere to be found.

The inner condition of Ms. Au's unit, Photo by Bastille Post

Even though she knew her home had been burned to ashes, seeing the once-familiar park and lobby transformed into something unrecognizable was still heartbreaking. She described feeling as though she was stepping into a place she had never been before.

The inner condition of Ms. Au's unit, Photo by Bastille Post

For Ms. Au, her unit was more than just a home. It was the first place she and her husband lived after getting married, and the place where their three children were born and raised. Over 11 years, they built their lives from scratch there, making every corner of the unit deeply meaningful.

She added that her children had hoped to find keepsakes left to them by relatives who had passed away. "Their great-grandmother gave a baby trike, but when we found it, only the metal frame remained." Ms. Au and her family planned to return to the unit in the future, not just to search for more belongings, but also to say a proper goodbye. She shared that her children have been expressing their grief through drawing and other means of creation these days. With the assistance of social workers and psychologists, she and her husband are gently guiding their children to accept that their home disappeared overnight.

The safe retrieved by Ms. Au from her unit, Photo by Bastille Post

Near the mailboxes in the building's lobby, Ms. Au placed flowers, food, and drinks to mourn the neighbors who lost their lives in the tragedy. She said the government's requirement for residents to choose a resettlement solution by the end of August had put immense pressure on her and created significant difficulties. For now, she said, she could only "take it one step at a time." She hoped to learn the cause of the fire and understand why the building had been so severely damaged, so that such a tragedy could be prevented in the future. She also hoped that meetings could be held for residents to voice their wishes and receive clear explanations about the next steps.

Mr. Mak, Photo by Bastille Post

Another resident, Mr. Mak, who is over 70 years old, moved into Wang Shing House in 1983. As a designer by trade, he designed all the furniture in his home himself. Today, he retrieved seven loads of furniture from his unit. "Nevertheless, I couldn't take any of the large pieces — the sofas, tables, and chairs were all made of Thai rosewood," he said. Mr. Mak said his home was in relatively good condition, just a little dusty. "I was worried for days, but thankfully nothing was missing." Although he managed to take back his cash and some jewelry, he forgot to collect his paintings this time. "I'll see if I get a chance to return in the coming days," he said.

Mr. Mak retrieved seven loads of furniture from his unit. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Mak hoped the government could arrange for some unfurnished apartments with basic renovations for their resettlement. "I'm worried about running into dishonest renovation workers," he explained. "I don't mind paying. I just want the government to handle the simple renovations. We're already over 70, and the younger generation has to work. We no longer have the energy to deal with these things." His voice choked with emotion as he thanked the many kind people who had helped him since the fire. However, he added, "The contractors and consultants have been very problematic. The government departments shirked their responsibilities at the hearings and ignored the issues that needed fixing. That's deeply unsatisfactory."

Ms. Chong, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Chong, who lives in Wang Tai House, said her home was in relatively good condition. Many police officers helped her carry her belongings, making the process less tiring. As a painting enthusiast for over a decade, she brought more than 30 paintings out of her home, each with its own meaning. "They mainly show scenery from my travels," she said. Her favorite is a landscape of Vienna, though she couldn't show it to reporters right away, as it would have to be retrieved later. She revealed that she is now working on a painting of Wang Fuk Court as a keepsake to remember the fire.

Ms. Chong brought more than 30 paintings out of her home, each with its own meaning. Photo by Bastille Post

Today (May 4) marked the final day of the first round for Wang Fuk residents to go upstairs and retrieve their belongings. Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Wang Fuk Court, Photo by Bastille Post

Wang Fuk Court, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Ho, a resident of Wang Shing House, went upstairs with three friends to retrieve her belongings, taking out 21 bags. Nevertheless, she estimated she had only collected about one-third of her possessions. while the rest would have to wait until the next round.

Ms. Ho, Photo by Bastille Post

She said the overall damage to her unit was less severe than expected, but the intense heat from the fire downstairs had melted the floor, destroying all the plastic storage boxes that had been on it. "Actually, the unit itself wasn't in too bad condition, but because of the high temperature downstairs, the floor melted, and things got stuck together," she explained. A whole box of her Doraemon collectibles that had been placed on the floor was destroyed and beyond recovery.

Ms. Ho took out a few of the successfully retrieved Doraemon figurines from the bags during the interview to show the reporter. Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Ho has a deep affection for Doraemon. Her collection, mostly gifts from friends accumulated over many years, holds great sentimental value. With her friends' help in salvaging some of the items, she took out a few of the successfully retrieved Doraemon figurines from the bags during the interview to show the reporter, describing them as having "commemorative value" that money cannot measure. She also managed to retrieve her treasured vinyl records of Anita Mui and Danny Chan, which she had kept for years. Although some records were damaged and warped, the rest were still salvageable. However, given the large number, she could only take them out in the next phase of retrieval.

Ms. Ho's Doraemon collection, Photo by Bastille Post

She especially thanked the social workers, who accompanied her throughout the process and helped collect and document items. "The social workers were very kind. They helped me carry things and kept records the whole time. I'm very grateful," she said. The Civil Aid Service and the police also assisted her. Ms. Ho mentioned that some items were temporarily stored, and she would pick them up later.

Ms. Ho thanked the social workers, who accompanied her throughout the process and helped collect and document items. Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Liu, Photo by Bastille Post

Another resident of Wang Shing House, Mr. Liu, said his unit was left intact, almost frozen in time at the moment the fire broke out. "My brother's son's homework is still spread out on the table, and the bed is still as messy as ever," he recalled. Looking back, he said he missed the convenience and environment of Wang Fuk Court tremendously. "The bus stop was just a few steps away, there was a bike path nearby, the air was good, and the unit had a sea view," he said. With the building's scaffolding removed after the fire, he could once again see the sea view from his window today, but this time, his emotions were different from before.

Mr. Liu, Photo by Bastille Post

With only three hours allowed to retrieve his belongings, Mr. Liu chose to focus on retrieving family photo albums and precious mementos. He acknowledged that some neighbors still preferred to rebuild on the same site and were willing to wait even if it took nine or ten years. For himself, he felt a mix of disappointment and helplessness at being forced to leave the home he had lived in for over three decades. Still, he said he would try to look forward. "Since we cannot change what has already happened, the only thing to do is move forward," he said.