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 seven tower blocks on Wednesday. A further 83 were injured and 150 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 cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but officials have said it spread up and between the blocks rapidly because of flammable materials placed on their exterior.
Saturday morning's ceremony was held outside government headquarters, where city leader John Lee was joined by officials to observe three minutes of silence. The flags of China and Hong Kong were flown at half-mast.
Memorial points have been established across the city for the public to pay their respects.
Once the fire started, it spread quickly through the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in the Tai Po district, requiring over 2,000 firefighters nearly two days to control the blaze.
Investigations are ongoing, with authorities highlighting the role of polystyrene and bamboo scaffolding in the flames' quick expansion, raising serious questions about building safety regulations.
This tragedy has ignited a wave of anger among residents, who have voiced concerns about inadequate fire safety measures and the oversight of renovation work.
Hong Kong's housing estate, built in 1983, housed nearly 4,600 residents in its 1,984 apartments, according to a 2021 government census.
