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Lo Hoi-ying

Fiona Chow

Vivian Au

Hon Wing, 77, and his family climbed 19 floors to their fire-ravaged flat in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court housing estate on Tuesday but left almost empty-handed after a two-hour search for valuables.
Hon, a retired part-time taxi driver, had hoped to find a bag of change he kept during his work shifts, but “nothing much was there” in his charred flat in Wang Sun House.
His daughter Ice Hon wanted to retrieve items passed down from her late mother.
“Dust and ruins are everywhere. It feels like the aftermath of a war,” she said of her childhood home.
“Originally, I was thinking of looking for some photo albums … I care about these things. But nothing … nothing was left.”
The family was among hundreds of residents who returned in stages to their flats to retrieve their belongings starting on Monday, five months after an inferno engulfed seven of Wang Fuk Court’s eight blocks and killed 168 people.

Equipped with shovels, protective clothing, headlamps, bags and even metal detectors, residents climbed the stairs to their flats, calculating how to pack a lifetime’s worth of belongings into containers within the three hours allowed.
Every floor they climbed was a reminder of how the fire destroyed their homes – the colours of stairwell walls varied depending on where the blaze unleashed its wrath.
Jewellery, cash, photo albums and keepsakes linked to departed loved ones were among common items retrieved.

A mandala drawing bought during a trip to Tibet, ruined Leica cameras that had cost HK$600,000 (US$76,920), a cello, a Gundam figurine and piano sheet music that somehow survived the fire were among sentimental items taken out.
Even if it took all their might, some residents – the elderly, the disabled, even a man with a leg injury – did not pass up the rare chance to visit their old homes, perhaps for the last time.
A resident surnamed Tam, 55, said he walked up the stairs to the 17th floor on Tuesday with the help of an exoskeleton assistive device he bought from a mainland Chinese company.

A man, 68, surnamed Kwan, said he was determined to reach his flat on the 31st floor of Wang Tao House next week, spending the past week training for the ascent.
His one wish: to retrieve his parents’ memorial tablets from his flat.
“I will need to take a break every nine floors, but I will make my way up slowly but surely,” he said.
A man surnamed Kwok suffered a fractured foot in the fire but was determined to hobble up seven floors in Wang Cheong House on Friday to visit his home.


With the help of friends and a folding chair, he hoped to recover a water boiler and other sentimental items belonging to his late father. He also wanted to visit the living room where his father used to spend hours watching television.
With authorities yet to confirm whether there will be a second visit, residents also took time to mourn the 43-year-old estate and reminisce about their childhood playground and the familiar path leading them back home.
A lone resident with melancholy eyes lingered outside Wang Yan House after his visit on Thursday, turning around to take in the sight before him.
He snapped a photo on his phone before continuing on his way, carrying a huge duffel bag of personal belongings on his back.

Hon Wing and his daughter have had to come to terms with the destruction of their home of 40 years. The view of Tolo Harbour that Hon used to enjoy from the sofa is framed by scorched windows. The charred remains of a fridge, three metal cabinets and a bunk bed were all that was left inside.
Ice Hon said she found a tarnished silver ring belonging to her mother. A few blackened jade bangles were dug up by Hon’s partner, Michelle Ho.
“They were gifts to me. I do not want to get rid of them … even if they are entirely unrecognisable,” she said.

Taking a last look at the estate before leaving, Ice Hon said: “We made many memories here … but we have to say goodbye to our home.
“I feel like I am more relaxed, like I can finally move on.”
While they and many others searched for mementos, Wang Sun House resident Ronnie Kwok looked for items to help pull her traumatised father back to reality.
Kwok said her father had developed an acute mental illness after the fire, building a protective shield around himself and regressing to a time 20 to 30 years ago.

Her now hospitalised father had repeatedly asked her to look for a teapot and teacups.
She retrieved the charred tea set from the ashes, although few other belongings were left.
“I hope he can see them and touch them and understand what happened to our family, and face reality,” she said.
Kwok said one of the most jarring scenes inside the flat was seeing the bathroom sink, which ended up inside her father’s bedroom, now melted.




A second-floor resident of Wang Cheong House surnamed Chan said his wife narrowly survived the blaze and struggled to control her emotions upon returning.
The couple sport matching tattoos of two cats they used to have, Billy and Charlie, and were able to collect both urns containing their ashes, giving them a small measure of closure amid the devastation.

Other pet owners were less fortunate.
A resident surnamed Wong, 40, described a putrid, burnt stench and feeling suffocated under his mask as he walked up to the seventh floor of Wang Sun House.
Wong, who lost his 16-year-old poodle Dor Dor in the fire, hoped to find the dog’s remains in the flat, but to no avail.
Amid the destruction, a Wang Yan House resident, Mrs Lam, was astounded to find her houseplant had survived when she returned to her flat.
“It is so amazing. The plant still had green leaves after months without water or sunlight,” said Lam, who shared the flat with her husband and their 10-year-old daughter.

She and her husband found the plant, a ginseng ficus, and an auspicious dragon statue, and also retrieved their bikes and some of their daughter’s favourite dolls.
The plant now sits on the windowsill of her mother-in-law’s house, overlooking Wang Fuk Court.
“I wanted to take this opportunity to encourage both my daughter and myself to keep thriving and living earnestly, just like that plant,” she said.


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Wang Fuk Court residents make long climb to retrieve family treasures, bid farewell

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Hong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedy

A resident collects personal belongings from Wang Sun House. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hon Wing’s home on the 19th floor of Wang Sun House. Photo: Handout

A resident lost HK$600,000 worth of Leica cameras and equipment in the fire. Photo: Handout

A Gundam figurine was retrieved from the ashes. Photo: Handout

A man takes a photo of Wang Yan House after briefly lingering outside the block. Photo: Karma Lo

Blackened jade bangles were found in Hon Wing’s flat. Photo: Handout

Ronnie Kwok managed to retrieve her father’s teapot and teacups. Photo: Jess Ma

The Chans have matching tattoos of cats Billy and Charlie. Photo: Vivian Au

Mrs Lam’s plant now sits in her mother-in-law’s flat overlooking Wang Fuk Court. Photo: Handout

A ‘final piano song’ offers closure as residents say goodbye to Wang Fuk Court homes

Residents made an emotional return to their fire-ravaged flats at Wang Fuk Court to salvage belongings. Photo: Handout

Mr Kwok was forced to make the climb to his flat with a fractured foot. Photo: Kristen Cheung

Miss Woo hopes to play one final farewell song on her piano. Photo: Elson Li

A piano and sheet music remain intact in Mandy Wong’s flat on the 25th floor of Wang Sun House. Photo: Handout

A resident leaves along with family members after retrieving items from their flat. Photo: SCMP

‘Lifetime of memories’: emotional survivors return to worst-hit Wang Fuk Court block

A framed wedding photo has been found as Wang Fuk Court residents return to their flats to pack their belongings. Photo: Karma Lo

A resident is seen leaving with a television. Photo: Karma Lo

Survivor Lau says he suffered burns to 7.5 per cent of his body during his harrowing escape from the 20th floor of Wang Cheong House. Photo: Elson Li

A resident surnamed Chan and his wife say they managed to collect the ashes of their two cats. Photo: Vivian Au

Residents return to their flats with large cardboard boxes to pack their belongings. Photo: Karma Lo

Residents return Wang Cheong House to pack their belongings. Photo: Karma Lo

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Hong Kong

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Jewellery, cash, photo albums and keepsakes linked to departed loved ones among items reclaimed by residents


Jewellery, cash, photo albums and keepsakes linked to departed loved ones among items reclaimed by residents.


Wang Fuk Court residents make long climb to retrieve family treasures, bid farewell

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Jewellery, cash, photo albums and keepsakes linked to departed loved ones among items reclaimed by residents

Jewellery, cash, photo albums and keepsakes linked to departed loved ones among items reclaimed by residents