A government official has said authorities will “look into” the situation after a resident in the fire-hit Wang Fuk Court found rubbish and other items that did not belong in his apartment when he collected his belongings.
A resident of Wang Cheong House, the first block to be hit by the flames, told reporters on Tuesday that he found items such as cigarette butts, face masks and drink packets that he believed were left behind by construction workers who had entered his unit.
He also found other items that did not belong in his apartment, which he believed to be his neighbors, local media reported. reported.
“When our neighbors come looking for their things, will they know that their things have been placed in my apartment?” said the resident.
Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk said at a press conference on Tuesday: “Regarding the situation where it appears that people threw things at the residences, I will have to look into that.”
Tuesday marked the ninth day of Wang Fuk Court residents returning to their units to collect their belongings.
On that day, residents of Wang Cheong House, which suffered the most fire damage, and Wang Tao House were allowed to return to their homes in groups.
The fire broke out in November last year and engulfed seven of Tai Po’s eight apartment blocks, killing 168 people and displacing thousands.
‘easy to say’
On Tuesday, resident Ma Chung-kui, who plays zhengrescued his collection of traditional Chinese musical instruments from his apartment in Wang Tao House.
He said he hoped to return to his apartment again, as three hours was enough time for him to retrieve a third of the instruments.
“How can I let it go? This is crazy. It’s easy to say, but not to do,” he said, referring to Cheuk’s earlier remarks advising residents to be mentally prepared to “let go” of some of their belongings and prioritize things of sentimental value.
Another family, who returned to Wang Cheong’s home, laid flowers to mourn their parents, who died in the fire.
At the same press conference on Tuesday, housing chief Winnie Ho also addressed concerns about why residents were not allowed to take the elevator to their flats. She said the water used to fight the flames may have corroded the metal parts of the elevators.
“We take the safety of residents very seriously. We understand that residents want to get elevators to make it easier for them to get in and out, but safety should be our top priority,” Ho said.
