Hong Kong's Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing defended on Saturday the three-hour limit for residents of the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court to retrieve belongings, saying it prevents overcrowding, unfairness and delays. Each household can register up to four people, but only one at a time in severely damaged flats for safety. He noted that four people over three hours provide 12 hours total to pack.
Hong Kong authorities have insisted that a three-hour time limit is sufficient for residents of the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court to retrieve their belongings, with discretion exercised for requests for a second entry.
Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing said on Saturday that although each household could register up to four people to enter the building, only one person would be allowed into severely damaged flats owing to safety concerns.
“With four people and three hours allowed, they would have 12 hours in total to pack,” Cheuk told a radio programme. “I don’t think saying goodbye to your home requires that much time ... And residents probably know where their belongings are.”
The government announced the day before that residents could retrieve belongings from April 20, depending on their housing block.
Cheuk said allowing more time would delay the overall schedule, meaning some residents would have to wait longer to return to their flats. He added that entry into about 300 severely damaged flats would be limited to one or two people at a time, with the four registered household members able to take turns.
