Residents of Wang Fuk Court will be given three hours to collect belongings from their fire-ravaged homes from mid-April to early May, with a maximum of four people allowed per household.
Authorities announced arrangements on Friday to allow residents to return to their homes for the first time since a mass fire in November it engulfed seven of the eight blocks of the Tai Po estate, killing 168 people.
Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk told reporters that residents will be assigned time slots starting from April 20, depending on the blocks and floors where they live.
Residents of Wang Sun House will be allowed to return from April 20th to April 22nd first. They will be followed by Wang Cheong House, Wang Yan House and Wang Tao House from April 23 to 28, and then Wang Tai House, Wang Kin House and Wang Shing House from May 29 to 4.
For each dwelling, a maximum of four people may return to collect items. Their names must be registered in advance with the authorities.
Residents of the property will not be able to use the elevators and must use the stairs. The Deputy Chief Secretary also said that they can authorize others to make the journey for them.
Those going to the estate will be given hard hats, gloves and masks, which must be worn at all times, Cheuk said. The government will also prepare large cloth bags to help them carry their belongings.
Residents will be accompanied by police officers or Civil Aid Service officers. Clinical psychologists will also be on hand to provide support.
High security
Since the deadly fire four months ago, Wang Fuk Court has been closed to the public due to security risks and ongoing investigations.
Only residents of Wang Chi House – the only block not destroyed by the flames – were allowed in briefly return to their homes to collect personal belongings and necessities in December.
Over the past few months, workers have been carrying out reinforcement work on the buildings in preparation for residents to be allowed to return and retrieve their belongings.
Security Secretary Chris Tang said during the same press conference on Friday that there will be tight security during the pick-up days, with police officers stationed in the halls and on every floor of the open houses.
If residents suspect that any of their belongings are missing, they can file a report at an inquiry center at Tai Po Baptist Public School, where personnel from the police force, as well as the Department of Internal Affairs and the Department of Social Welfare, will be on hand.
Free shuttle buses from Tai Po Market MTR station will bring residents to the property throughout the day, running at 15-minute intervals. Residents who drive will be able to park for free in the estate’s car park and a taxi rank will also be set up to assist those leaving the complex.
