Wang Fuk Court Residents Return to Fire-Hit Homes to Collect Belongings

Residents of the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po began returning to their flats on April 20, 2026, for the first time since a deadly blaze in November 2025 claimed 168 lives. The initial group of around 270 residents from Wang Sun House, one of seven blocks engulfed by the fire, were granted supervised three-hour visits to collect personal belongings under strict government oversight.

The return marked the first phase of a broader government plan to allow approximately 6,000 registered residents to revisit their homes in stages. Equipped with helmets and protective gloves, residents entered the darkened building without electricity, climbing stairwells to reach their units. Many had already received photographs from authorities showing the extent of the damage, preparing them for what they would find.

Personal Losses and Quiet Farewells

For some, the visit was a solemn act of closure. Mr Leung, who provided only his surname, said he had seen images of his flat reduced to ashes and held little hope of recovering much. “I only wanted to collect things of commemorative value, such as wedding rings,” he told Hong Kong Free Press in Cantonese, showing reporters the bands he had salvaged from the wreckage.

Others described walking through gutted homes with nothing left to recover. A female resident surnamed Tai said she went simply to say goodbye. “My home has nothing left, I only want to go up there and say goodbye,” she stated, adding that she could only manage a wry smile and was not in the mood to speak. Another unnamed resident said, “There is nothing to go back to. We took a look, paid respect, and left.”

Moments of Relief Amid the Ruins

Not all units suffered the same fate. Steven Chong, a 50-year-old resident, found that his flat had escaped the worst of the blaze. He retrieved a computer storing family photos and a religious painting he had brought from Tibet during previous moves. “Perhaps [the painting] has protected my home from the blaze,” he told reporters. Chong also used the visit to grieve his cat, who died in the fire, calling out to the spot where the animal used to sleep.

Chong said the three-hour time slot was sufficient for his needs but acknowledged it might not be enough for those whose homes were severely damaged and required more time to sift through debris.

Government Oversight and Growing Concerns

All residents were accompanied by police or Civil Aid Service personnel during their visits, a measure the government said was necessary to protect property within the building. A woman surnamed Chow, a relative of a resident, described the presence of monitors as “someone following” at every step but called the arrangement acceptable.

Chow said her group had recovered an old family photo album but would need to return for a second trip to retrieve a safe they could not move during the first visit.

However, not all residents were satisfied with the process. A man surnamed Lee, scheduled to visit Wang Yan House on Thursday, criticized the restrictions after being denied entry to a nearby community hall on Monday where residents normally check in before proceeding to the flats.

“I am going back to my home. But it was like I had to beg for it. How can this be right?” he said in Cantonese. “It is my place. Don’t I have the right to stay there and pack my belongings?” Lee, who lived in the estate for over three decades, added that he could not abandon his home despite the devastation.

The government has not yet announced whether additional time slots or extended access will be granted for residents facing greater losses or logistical challenges in retrieving their possessions.