Hong Kong officials have held a moment of silence at the start of a three-day mourning period to remember those killed after the city's deadliest fire in nearly 80 years.
At least 128 people are now known to have died in the fire which engulfed several tower blocks on Wednesday. Hundreds remain unaccounted for.
Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of corruption over the renovation works the blocks had been undergoing.
Three others were detained earlier on manslaughter charges.
The Saturday morning ceremony was held outside government headquarters, with city leader John Lee and other officials observing three minutes of silence. The flags of China and Hong Kong were flown at half mast. The government has also set up memorial points across the city, where the public can pay their respects and sign condolence books.
Once it started, the fire quickly spread to seven of the eight blocks of flats in Wang Fuk Court, with over 2,000 firefighters working to control it over the course of two days. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, although authorities noted that materials used during the renovations may have contributed to its rapid spread.
The aftermath has sparked public anger, with reports of broken fire alarms and allegations of negligence against the renovation company. An investigation into the fire’s cause and the building's safety practices is underway, with police already gathering evidence from the scene.
Wang Fuk Court, built in 1983, housed nearly 4,600 residents in 1,984 apartments, according to a 2021 government census.
