About 3,464 people from 951 households at Wang Fuk Court have retrieved their belongings from the fire-ravaged residential estate in the past nine days, according to Warner Cheuk Wing-hing, deputy chief secretary for administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Residents of Wang Tai House – one of the worst-hit blocks with the highest number of casualties – began returning to their apartments on Wednesday, along with residents of Wang Kin House.

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Cheuk said after inspecting the devastated complex in Tai Po district on Wednesday morning, the arrangements for residents to return to their homes have proceeded orderly and smoothly so far, with residents of Wang Sun House, Wang Yan House, Wang Cheong House and Wang Tao House having completed collecting their belongings.

They included 894 people from 401 households who had gone up and down the towers more than once. The authorities said they received 75 requests for police assistance, 15 cases of physical discomfort and seven cases of residents requiring psychological counseling.

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“Talking to residents of Wang Fuk Court in the past week, I’ve found that many are willing to return to their homes again. The government will arrange for residents of Wang Chi House (the only block left undamaged in the blaze in November last year) to go back again from May 13 to May 17. We’ll announce similar arrangements for the remaining seven blocks as soon as possible after Monday,” Cheuk said.

For Wang Tai House, which was severely damaged in the inferno and had the highest number of casualties, he said police officers will accompany them going up the stairs. Clinical psychologists and social workers from the Social Welfare Department will provide full support to households that have lost family members.

“If any household needs additional support, the SWD will deploy more clinical psychologists or social workers, and the number of companion police officers will be increased to two per unit,” Cheuk said.

Contact the writer at stacyshi@chinadailyhk.com