Thousands of people gathered at the entrance of Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district to mourn victims of the catastrophic fire that swept through the high-rise complex earlier this week.

Many arrived carrying flowers, handwritten messages and candles, forming long queues that stretched through nearby streets as the community came together to grieve.

Authorities have confirmed the relocation of around fifteen hundred residents whose homes were destroyed or rendered unsafe, a process that is still under way as inspectors assess the structural conditions of the remaining blocks.

The blaze erupted during renovation work on the exterior of the estate, where bamboo scaffolding, synthetic netting and flammable cladding materials appear to have accelerated the spread of the flames.

Within minutes, fire had engulfed several towers, trapping residents and prompting one of the city’s largest emergency deployments in years.

While search operations have concluded in most affected areas, forensic teams continue to work through damaged floors to identify victims and recover personal belongings for families.

Authorities have detained multiple individuals linked to the renovation project, focusing on the safety standards of the materials used and the oversight responsibilities of the contractors involved.

Work by the same firms has been suspended city-wide pending full safety audits.

Social-service teams, volunteers and district organisations have opened temporary shelters to support the displaced, offering meals, clothing, medical care and emergency stipends.

The tragedy has intensified public concerns over building-safety enforcement in one of the world’s densest urban environments.

Both Hong Kong and mainland authorities have ordered sweeping inspections of high-rise residential complexes, particularly those under renovation or using similar scaffolding systems.

For the families now beginning to rebuild their lives, the gathering at Wang Fuk Court marked a moment of collective mourning — and a call for stronger protections to prevent such a disaster from ever recurring.