Residents of Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court are wrestling with a fresh sense of loss after returning to their former homes damaged in last November’s fire, as they are forced to choose what to pack and what to leave behind within a limited time frame and under practical constraints. Cecilia* is one such Hongkonger. She considers herself fortunate to have discovered that her upper-floor flat was largely undamaged by the blaze. But now she faces losing family treasures, precious metals and antique...
About 270 residents of Hong Kong’s fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court are returning to their flats on Monday to pack their belongings, nearly five months after the deadly blaze, with authorities deploying more than 1,000 staff to assist them. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing said 269 residents from 78 households in Wang Sun House would return to their flats in two phases. “If conditions allow, residents can visit their flats more than once,” Cheuk told a press briefing, adding that those...
There has been no report of casualty and the dousing operation is underway
This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. An independent committee examining the causes of Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades, which claimed 168 lives at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, held its 11th day of hearings on Monday. Four senior firefighters, who served as commanders during the Tai Po blaze, are set to testify before the judge-led panel. Previous hearing sessions centred on the deactivation of...
Estimates of destroyed goods in the godown are being done
A suspected Iranian missile attack sparked a huge fire near an industrial complex in Saudi Arabia.