Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak said residents of Wang Chi House -- the sole block at Wang Fuk Court that survived the deadly fire last November -- will not be able to return home for at least another three to four months.

Speaking to reporters after attending a spring reception on Monday, Mak said there are a number of critical repairs that need to be carried out, and legal matters to be resolved, before people can move in again.

"The first issue we need to resolve is the condition of the communal facilities after the fire," she said.

Mak noted that Hop On Management, the estate's new property manager, will coordinate with various government departments to inspect the sealed site and evaluate any damage.

"As you know, a building, an estate, has water and electricity, and Wang Fuk Court uses central liquefied petroleum gas," she explained.

"Those pipelines run underground and likely pass through the seven buildings."

She said authorities are obtaining the necessary diagrams to verify if these critical infrastructures had been compromised.

"To let residents move back in, the safety of the communal facilities, such as water, electricity and central gas supply, must be ensured and properly repaired," she stressed.

The home affairs minister added that thorough checks on other utilities, such as fire safety equipment and elevators, also need to be carried out.

Mak also pointed out that the government needs to address a number of legal hurdles in connection with the deed of mutual covenant for Wang Fuk Court, which covers all eight buildings.

With seven of the blocks slated for acquisition and demolition, she said the legal framework for Wang Chi House would have to be revised.

She described this as a complex legal issue and said officials currently working on the matter with the Department of Justice.



Edited by Priscilla Ng