On November 26, 71-year-old Wong was preparing to pick up his granddaughter from school. He and his wife usually took turns walking from their Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Tai Po district to the school.

After leaving his apartment, Wong noticed a fire at one of the complex's eight buildings. By the time he returned, flames had spread to the middle floors of the building where he and his wife lived.

"My wife is in there", he cried, pointing at the building engulfed in flames.

Wong cried out in front of the blazing Wang Fuk Court apartment complex in Tai Po district, Hong Kong, on 26/11, as his wife was trapped inside. *Reuters*

One week after the tragedy, Wong's wife remains missing and is among 30 people unaccounted for. At least 156 people died in Hong Kong's deadliest fire since 1948.

The image of Wong, hands raised in anguish and panic, with the apartment complex ablaze behind him, was captured by Reuters photographer Tyrone Siu. The widely shared photograph quickly became a symbol of the disaster.

Siu arrived at the scene about one hour after the fire started, finding Wong by the roadside in deep distress. "It's a photo where you immediately understand everything when you look at it", Siu said. "No matter where you're from, you can feel the helplessness and pain Wong was experiencing."

J Wong, the couple's son, shared his family's story to contribute to the healing process after the tragedy. He recounted his father's initial disbelief. "On the first day, my father couldn't accept what happened", J Wong said, adding that upon seeing the fire and the building's condition, his father knew his wife had little hope of survival.

According to J Wong, his mother called his father after the fire erupted, and they spoke for about one minute. He declined to disclose the call's content. "Immediately after that conversation, our family lost contact with my mother", he stated.

Before retiring, Wong worked as a building maintenance foreman, also serving as an electrician and plumber. Concerned about renovation risks, he removed foam window panels, replacing them with fire-retardant plastic sheets. He also regularly sprayed water on the green netting outside their apartment to keep it moist, his son noted. "Even though he knew the risks, whatever my father did, he couldn't change what happened", J Wong added.

Wong collapsed onto the pavement at times, witnessing the horrific scene. As night fell, a police officer brought him a blue plastic chair. "I will come find you", he murmured, looking up at the building as if speaking to his wife.

By Huyen Le