Hong Kong’s Deadly Fire: Residents Revisit Their Homes to Recover Essentials
HONG KONG — One week after a devastating fire tore through a residential complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district, a handful of residents were allowed to return briefly on Wednesday to salvage what remained of their lives.
Escorted by government staff, those living in the only building not destroyed by the 40-hour inferno were given 90 minutes to pack essentials into suitcases and bags. For many, it was the first time they had seen their homes since fleeing the blaze that killed at least 156 people.
“My whole life is there,” said a 60-year-old woman surnamed Lam, waiting with recyclable bags before entering her apartment.
The fire at Wang Fuk Court displaced more than 4,000 residents. While over 2,600 have been placed in temporary accommodation—hostels, camps, hotel rooms, or transitional housing—the psychological and practical toll is only beginning to surface.
Search and Recovery Continue
Authorities say the search operation inside the seven scorched buildings could take weeks due to hazardous conditions and the difficulty of recovering remains. Some victims were found on rooftops and stairwells; others were reduced to ashes. Around 30 people are still missing.
Fifteen individuals have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with the blaze. The city’s anti-corruption agency has also opened an investigation, and Chief Executive John Lee has promised an independent, judge-led inquiry into the tragedy.
A Painful Rebuilding
For survivors like 71-year-old Leung, the loss is almost incomprehensible. “I can’t sleep at night, thinking about my home. Everything that I have earned for decades is gone,” she said, standing outside the complex with her husband and daughter.
The couple were initially placed in transitional housing but found it too small and too isolated from public transport. They are now staying with their daughter while searching for more suitable lodging.
Her daughter, Bonnie Leung, expressed the shock felt across Hong Kong: “It’s unfathomable that such a tragedy, so many deaths, can happen in Hong Kong. Dad and mum, and many residents have struggled for so many years. Having a home here gave us peace—it is very painful to lose everything.”
Calls for Accountability
The fire has raised urgent questions about oversight and building safety. Authorities have pointed to substandard plastic mesh and insulation foam used in recent renovations as factors that allowed the fire to spread rapidly.
Residents had complained about fire hazards during renovation work last year but were told by the Labour Department that they faced “relatively low fire risks.”
In response to public outcry, Chief Executive Lee has ordered a judge-led committee to investigate the cause of the blaze and review building renovation regulations.
Elections Amid Grief
Lee confirmed that Legislative Council elections scheduled for Sunday will proceed as planned—a decision criticized by some residents.
A 31-year-old woman surnamed Yeung called the move “ridiculous,” adding, “Hong Kong people are still under immense trauma after the incident.”
The election, in which only government-approved “patriot” candidates are allowed to run, is seen by some as a potential barometer of public frustration over the handling of the disaster.
As recovery efforts inch forward, families are left navigating grief, displacement, and an uncertain future—haunted by a fire that exposed vulnerabilities in one of the world’s most densely populated cities.
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