A photograph of a 71-year-old man grieving outside Tai Po's Wang Fuk Court fire site has become one of the most iconic images of the disaster, with his son now describing how the father remains devastated by his wife's disappearance.
The Reuters photo showed the surnamed Wong man crying "my wife is inside!" while being supported by police officers after rushing back to discover his building engulfed in flames. The image was published globally across Asian, European and North American media outlets.
Wong's son told Reuters his father received one final minute-long call from his mother before communication ceased. Though officially still listed among the missing, family members recognize the grim reality given the fire's rapid vertical spread through seven buildings reportedly fueled by flammable exterior materials.
The retired maintenance contractor had previously recognized fire risks, removing polystyrene boards from windows and regularly spraying water on protective netting. His son acknowledged that despite these precautions, "whatever he did couldn't change what has already happened."
Family members continue waiting alongside other affected households as search operations continue at the site where at least 159 people died and many remain unaccounted for.
