HONG KONG: Hong Kong residents who lost their homes in a massive fire at an apartment complex last year began returning on Monday (Apr 20) for the first time to collect what is left of their belongings.
The city’s deadliest fire in decades killed 168 people when it ripped through seven of the eight apartment blocks at the Wang Fuk Court complex in November.
For the first time since then, around 6,000 residents are being given three-hour windows to enter their homes from Monday and get their belongings.
With 1,700 flats to pick through, authorities hope the process will be completed by early May.
An AFP reporter saw residents stepping out from government-organised shuttle buses as they arrived at the estate.
Officials have advised residents to prepare mentally, with the fire department warning that more than 920 homes had been damaged and some completely destroyed by the blaze.
Images released by government officials show the ceilings and walls of some flats have collapsed or been charred black, and the interiors littered with debris.
Damaged areas of the residential complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district have been cordoned off as “danger zones”, while reinforcement works have been carried out where the building structure was compromised.
Upon returning to their flats, residents were required to wear face masks, hard hats and gloves.
A 50-year-old resident surnamed Chung told reporters that he had prepared a screwdriver, scissors and plastic bags before returning to his flat on Monday.
“Once I’m up there, some places like the keyhole might be full of dust, and I’m worried I won’t have the tools (to deal with it) if some parts need to be taken apart,” he said.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/hong-kong-fire-residents-return-collect-belongings-6067256
