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MORE than two months after a catastrophic fire tore through the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Hong Kong, killing 168 people and leaving families displaced, residents are still waiting for clarity on when and where they will be resettled.
The tragedy, which struck on November 26, 2025, shattered a close-knit community, with authorities citing flammable scaffolding netting and foam boards from a maintenance project as the cause of the fire’s rapid spread. An independent committee continues to investigate the incident.
AP reported on Tuesday that for elderly residents like 87-year-old Pearl Chow, who escaped with only essential documents, and her grandson Dorz Cheung, the blaze not only destroyed their home but also severed familiar routines and personal memories.
“Only permanent residence is called home. That’s the root,” Cheung said, reflecting on their cramped temporary accommodation, which barely accommodates the family. Both hope to return to Tai Po, where they lived for decades, though no official resettlement timeline has been announced.
Seventy-four-year-old Kit Chan and her husband, 78-year-old Keung Mak, who had lived in a 43-square-metre apartment for over 40 years, were relocated to a studio unit half the size of their previous home.
Chan said uncertainty over how long they can remain in temporary housing adds to the distress: “It’s like being unable to get by in my final years.” Mak expressed a wish to see their burnt apartment at least once more, to confront the memories of their family life and wedding photos.
For younger residents such as 23-year-old Isaac Tam, the blaze has scattered neighbours and disrupted longstanding routines, including his 92-year-old grandfather’s morning dim sum gatherings.
While they consider apartments in other districts to speed relocation, Tam fears his grandfather will not be able to wait for a unit comparable in size to their former home.
“I also fear he can’t wait until we secure an apartment of about 400 square feet,” he said.
Phyllis Lo, 48, still grieves the loss of her mother, who perished in the fire. The lack of transparency surrounding the investigation and the allocation of the $589 million relief fund has compounded her distress.
“Maybe she is still everywhere and still seeing us now. I really want to be with her,” she said, recalling the Lunar New Year traditions her mother taught her.
The Hong Kong government, responding to inquiries, confirmed that over 95 per cent of homeowners had submitted resettlement surveys.
Officials are analysing the responses before announcing long-term plans, though no timeline has been provided.
Experts highlight that rebuilding physical structures is only part of recovery; reconstructing a sense of community is equally crucial.
Jack Rozdilsky, a professor of disaster and emergency management at York University in Canada, noted, “Very small things matter. Understanding what promoted community at the housing complex before the fire and incorporating those features — be it a bus stop or a gathering point in a park — would help.”
As the Lunar New Year approaches on February 17, the surviving families continue to balance grief, disrupted routines, and hope for a permanent home, facing the complex task of rebuilding not just apartments, but the community they once shared. - February 10, 2026