Several hundred people gathered at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Sunday evening to honour the lives lost in a massive blaze at a Hong Kong apartment complex last week.
After some brief remarks and a moment of silence, mourners lined up to place flowers at a small memorial on the gallery steps in Robson Square.
The death toll from the deadly fire continues to rise as first responders locate more bodies in the burnt-out shell of the apartment complex.
As of Sunday, officials had confirmed 146 deaths in the fire, which began Wednesday but was not fully extinguished until Friday.
The complex comprises eight 31-storey buildings and was undergoing extensive exterior renovations at the time of the fire.
Organizers of Sunday’s vigil in Vancouver say many of the attendees have a connection to the victims.
“A lot of us in the community are grieving over the fire. We are friends, family, acquaintances, people we know who are affected by the fire. And we just want to get together to remember them and hold space,” said Jackie, a volunteer organizer who declined to share his last name.
Organizers also asked members of the media not to record video or take photos of the faces of people who attended the vigil.
“We have so many different complex feelings, including anger, upset, sadness,” said Wendy, another volunteer organizer who did not provide a last name. “But it’s just a mix of all of everything.”
The cause of the deadly tragedy remains under investigation, but officials have pointed to potentially unsafe construction materials used in the renovations.
Three construction company employees have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter.
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