On the bathroom door of a cluttered, silent flat in Wang Fuk Court, a calendar remains on the page for November 2025 – the month a deadly fire broke out at the Tai Po estate in Hong Kong.

Resident Joe* and his wife Annie* took photos of each room of their undamaged flat for what they believed would be their final visit.

While time appeared to have stood still in this space, every room reeked of a mixture of sweat and mould, and ants crawled across dusty kitchen walls.

A foul stench wafted out the moment the freezer was cracked open. Outside the window, vacant charred towers stood eerily under the sun, surrounded by debris.

Before making his final trip down the stairs with the last of his belongings, Joe pressed the lift button a few times, even though he knew it no longer worked.

“There will never be another chance to press this button again,” he said, his T-shirt soaked with sweat, casting one last glance at his home of more than 40 years.