Five months after Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades, thousands of displaced residents are finally beginning to return to their scorched homes to search through the devastation and retrieve any remaining belongings. The process, which started on Monday, is expected to continue into early May, marking a painful but necessary step for those affected by the catastrophic blaze in the suburban Tai Po district.
Emotional Return to Devastated Homes
For 78-year-old Keung Mak, returning to the apartment where he and his wife lived for over forty years and raised their children was an emotionally overwhelming experience. A photo from his social worker had already revealed the extent of the destruction: the ceiling burned so severely that steel rebar was visible, the floor littered with broken tiles, and parts of the structure requiring reinforcement to prevent collapse.
"My heart is heavy, I'm very disappointed. I didn't expect the first floor would be burned like this," Mak said ahead of his return. He and his son were among the first to enter their apartment, with only two people allowed due to safety concerns. His wife, 74-year-old Kit Chan, hoped authorities might permit her to take a look as well, though she held little optimism about recovering cherished items.
Irreplaceable Losses and Memorial Items
The family's apartment contained numerous items of sentimental value, including a fishing rod Mak's son bought him as a gift, wedding photos from half a century ago, and letters from their son. "A lot of things with commemorative value are all gone," Chan lamented. "Not even a single piece of paper will be left."
Residents are typically allowed to stay in their apartments for up to three hours, with a maximum of four people entering. In severely damaged units, only one person can go in. This careful management reflects the ongoing safety concerns and the emotional toll of the return process.
Scale of the Tragedy and Ongoing Challenges
Last year's blaze spread rapidly across seven of eight buildings in the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex, killing 168 people and displacing thousands. The exteriors of some buildings remain blackened from the flames, serving as a stark reminder of the tragedy. The return is particularly challenging for older residents, who made up over a third of the approximately 4,600 people living there before the fire.
With elevators out of service, some elderly residents have been training to improve their fitness in preparation for climbing stairs in the 31-story buildings. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk noted that over 1,400 people registered for the return are 65 years old or older, according to public broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong.
Investigation and Suspicious Circumstances
People are still awaiting the results of an investigation into the fire's cause. A lawyer representing an independent committee has indicated that almost all fire safety appliances in the apartment blocks failed on the day of the blaze due to human error. This has fueled suspicions and frustrations among residents.
"We know there are suspicious issues behind this," said Cyrus Ng, 39, who lived on the 10th floor with his parents for over a decade before moving out. "I hope we can really find the truth." Ng, who experienced anger, sadness, and worry in the immediate aftermath, now feels more emotionally settled but has not fully accepted what happened.
Government Proposals and Resident Concerns
The government has stated that repairing the damaged buildings cost-effectively would be difficult and is inclined to demolish the seven fire-ravaged structures. Officials have proposed buying back homeownership rights from fire victims, citing survey results from residents. This has dashed hopes for those who wished to rebuild their homes on-site.
However, data from the fire inquiry shows that only half of the approximately 1,700 apartments in the seven buildings suffered varying degrees of damage. Ng questioned whether some buildings could be repaired to allow residents to move back in, though his parents were considering the government's offer of an apartment elsewhere. He plans to document his apartment's condition during his return to help prove that some homes remain unaffected.
Theft Concerns and Emotional Trauma
Ng also expressed worries about theft after months of vacancy, a concern validated by the arrest of three men in March on suspicion of stealing from the estate. Meanwhile, residents of the only building in the complex that escaped the fire face the ongoing trauma of living with nightmarish memories.
Stephanie Leung, a resident of that block, is reluctant to live in the same apartment again, citing the mental stress of overlooking the seven other buildings where former schoolmates or friends died. "Whenever I go back, I want to cry," she said, hoping the government will include her block in the same plan as the others while allowing those who wish to remain to stay.
As the return process unfolds, displaced fire victims continue to live scattered across the city, many in temporary housing, as they await clarity on resettlement options. The journey toward recovery remains fraught with emotional, logistical, and investigative challenges, underscoring the profound impact of one of Hong Kong's most devastating residential fires.
