Residents leave prayers and flowers on third day of return to Wang Fuk Court

The final group of residents returned briefly to their fire-damaged homes at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong, marking the third day of a government-arranged visit to the building. Among 79 households that registered, residents climbed 20 to 30 flights of stairs to access their flats in Wang Sun House, the site of a recent devastating fire. Many brought personal belongings and left prayers and flowers as a farewell to their homes, which remain uninhabitable. One elderly resident, surnamed Tang, who lived on the 24th floor, expressed her emotional connection to the visit, hoping to retrieve the ashes of her late cat stored in the apartment. Despite the intense heat of the fire, she believed the ashes had not been destroyed. Residents faced a physically demanding climb, some using stools to aid their ascent, highlighting the challenges of accessing the upper floors in the absence of functioning elevators. The visits come as part of the government’s efforts to allow displaced residents a final opportunity to collect belongings and pay respects before the building undergoes further safety assessments and potential demolition. The fire at Wang Fuk Court has left many families displaced and raised concerns about fire safety standards in older residential buildings across Hong Kong. This tragedy underscores the vulnerability of high-rise public housing estates to fire hazards and the difficulties residents face in emergencies. Authorities are expected to review fire prevention measures and emergency response protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future, while providing support to affected families during their displacement.