First round of collections concludes, authorities continue to help residents
The first round of belongings collection efforts by residents of Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po concluded on Monday, with more than 6,000 people briefly returning to their fire-damaged homes.
The 15-day operation, which began on April 20, granted residents of the seven fire-hit buildings a three-hour window to return to their homes and retrieve their remaining belongings. Residents of the only building spared from the fire, Wang Chi House, were given a 90-minute opportunity in December to go back to their apartments.
The government said on Monday night that a total of 6,265 people from 1,674 households went for the retrieval, and the process was smooth and in order.
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Many brought back photo albums, paintings, necklaces and other items with financial and emotional worth.
A cross-sector support campaign has been mobilized by city authorities and community-level workers, offering timely relief to displaced residents, including assistance from police, district care teams, volunteers, on-site social workers and psychologists, as well as volunteer drivers.
Among the initiatives is a facility named "Wang Fuk living room". Operated by the nonprofit organization AidVengers Federation, it was launched to support displaced residents with services such as traditional Chinese medicine treatment, free Cantonese-style soups and drinks, as well as various recreational activities.
On Monday, a 74-year-old Wang Fuk Court resident surnamed Wong could be seen chatting animatedly with a volunteer at the living room initiative.
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Wong, who relocated to the suburb of Kai Tak, told China Daily that the facility has provided helpful services. As he still buys food in Tai Po, he comes to the living room from time to time to chat with neighbors and join activities.
Reflecting on his visit to fire-ravaged homes, Wong said volunteers provided a lot of help in communicating with the government to provide a more suitable time slot for him.
"I'd taken over 10 bags of items downstairs on that day, and the Civil Aid Service and a senior-level police officer had helped me a lot with moving them," he said.
Yip, a 20-year-old volunteer working at the living room initiative, was chatting with Wong. "I started to provide help soon after the outbreak of the fire and have continued till now," he said.
Rody Choi Cheuk-hin, chairman of the AidVengers Federation, said,"All items at the living room initiative are supported by kind people, organizations, volunteers and neighbors."
Lo Hiu-fung, a district councilor of Tai Po district, highlighted the dedicated citywide efforts implemented during the operation's planning phase.
Government departments provided flexible, dedicated arrangements during the process, Lo said.
District Services and Community Care Teams, for example, helped to distribute supplies and transport items, and assisted residents in registering for the collection operation.
"One time, a household moved over 100 bags of items, and the care teams helped them transport these items till after 8 pm. Many residents have responded that volunteers and the various departments helped them a lot during the process," Lo added.
ALSO READ: Hong Kong extends tax break for Wang Fuk Court residents
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced on Monday that the property owners and residents of Wang Fuk Court will be exempted from the final tax payable for the year of assessment 2025-26 in order to ease their financial burden.
Authorities also said they will arrange a second round for the collection of belongings by residents, starting with Wang Chi House in mid-May.
Roys Zhang contributed to this story.
Contact the writers at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com
