Some residents of Hong Kong, who were forced to flee their homes a week ago due to a deadly fire, returned to the burned-out complex yesterday to retrieve their belongings, while others struggle to rebuild their lives after a disaster that claimed at least 156 lives. Residents of the only building in the complex that was not destroyed by the 40-hour fire were escorted to their homes by government staff and were given an hour and a half to gather what was left of their belongings after the fire destroyed seven other buildings. The worst fire the city has seen in decades displaced all 4,000-plus residents of the 'Wang Fuk Court' complex, many of whom are now in temporary housing. Authorities have not announced a date for the return of residents to the undamaged building, as they continue to gather evidence as part of a criminal investigation. A 60-year-old woman named Lam, who was waiting with plastic bags for her daughter before entering her apartment, said: 'My whole life was there.' Police continue to search the seven buildings destroyed by the fire. The search could take weeks due to hazardous conditions and the difficulty of recovering bodies, some of which were found on rooftops and stairs, while others turned to ash, according to authorities.
