Residents of Wang Fuk Court Blaze Retrieve Items

Some managed to retrieve items in their flats

It's heartbreaking to watch first-person footage of victims of the Wang Fuk inferno last November go see their burnt out flats, possibly for the last time.

Those who could walk up the stairs showed the reporters gathered what their former homes looked like. 

Some were able to find cherished items like watches, jewellery, and pictures, while others were left with charred belongings that were hard to identify.

The media ask residents about their experiences

One man brought his camera to take pictures from the window to preserve his memories of the view he used to see everyday.

Another somehow managed to find the ashes of his two cats and discovered some clothes that were not burned in the fire; even if he removed them, could he remove the smell of smoke from them?

The Hong Kong government says 6,265 people from 1,674 households registered to go to the towers, with only 50 households not participating.

According to the government's data, one family visited their flat for only four minutes, while the longest was four hours and eight minutes, longer than the three-hour stipulation.

The authorities received 800 requests to go back to collect more items. One was a man surnamed Mak who is a furniture designer who lived on the fifth floor of Wang Shing House.

He could only bring back small furniture items made of rosewood, and had to leave bigger furniture pieces and paintings behind.

"We feel quite helpless," Mak said. "But what I hope for the most is that justice is served. Those who should be held accountable must be punished, and those who should be jailed should be put on trial."

Taking pictures of burned out photo albums

A resident surnamed Wong lost his parents in the fire last November. He was hoping to salvage his mother's jewellery and any mementos.

His eyes welled up when he said his father died on his birthday.

"I did not have any chance to wish my father a happy birthday," Wong said. "I hope they rest in peace."

Meanwhile a woman surnamed Au felt overwhelmed when she returned to her home, and was only able to retrieve a charred safe and some valuables.

The mother of three was gratified to be allowed to leave food and flower offerings to pay tribute to the 168 people who died, and almost 5,000 residents displaced. 

"Every step back to the flat is very difficult," she said. "Everything we know about the court, the park, and even the lobby entrance has changed. It has become so unfamiliar to us."

This is also possibly one of the last times Au saw her neighbours, now dispersed around Hong Kong living in different places and trying to rebuild their lives. It's a tragedy that will continue for years to come.