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Residents of Wang Sun House in Wang Fuk Court continue to return to their fire-damaged homes on Tuesday morning, with many expressing a deep desire to retrieve items of sentimental value and bid a final farewell.
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The arrangement began at 9am with many residents registering at the community hall before being escorted to the building.
One resident, surnamed Cheung, arrived with his grandmother, who had recently been discharged from the hospital. They had lived together in a mid-floor unit in Wang Sun House before the fire.
He explained that his grandmother was not well enough to climb the stairs, so he planned to use a video call to show her the condition of their apartment.
"I haven't seen any photos of our unit, so I don't know what to expect," Cheung said. "I hope to retrieve all our precious and memorable items and to say goodbye to our home."
He also added that he felt the three-hour time slot was insufficient and would request another opportunity to return.
Another resident, identified as Ah Keung, hoped to retrieve his wife's gold dowry from their flat. He had registered a group of four family members to go upstairs, with a clear plan to divide the work between the living room and bedrooms to maximize their time.
He shared that on the day of the fire, a neighbor had saved his wife's life by banging on their door, *and hoped to* see the neighbor to express his gratitude in person.
The determination to return was also strong in an elderly man who had lived in Wang Fuk Court for over 40 years. He took a free shuttle bus provided by the authorities from *the* Tai Po Market MTR station.
Knowing the climb to his 18th-floor apartment would be strenuous, he brought a walking stick to assist him. The man said that despite the difficulty, he wanted to go back to "fulfill his wish."
Having seen photos *shown by* a social worker *of his home "all* black" and nearly "completely burnt out," he returned without any bags or carts, anticipating a total loss.
