Brisbane’s Samoan community came together today to farewell six of the eleven people killed in last month’s house fire at Slacks Creek.

Hundreds of mourners congregated at Mt Gravatt’s Hillsong Christian Church to pay their respects and say goodbye.

Michelle Thomas reports.

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A sea of sadness.

Family and friends, young and old, so many coming together to remember, mourn and grieve.

Melesisi Hopoate, Cousin: “11 people are gone in one time, we still cannot understand why.”

The shock and grief still very raw for the Lale family, husband and father Jeremiah losing his wife and five children less than a month ago.

Melesisi Hopoate, Cousin: “The family has come together to help each other.”

Inside it was a full house.

Members of the public and Queensland’s Police and Fire Services, all paying their respects.

Mr Lale somehow found the strength to speak for his family.

Jeremiah Lale, Husband and Father: “I’m up here today to do testimony for my beautiful wife and my five beautiful kids.”

For loved ones, the moment for their final goodbyes had come all too soon.

The six were taken away to be later laid to rest in a private burial service at Mount Gravatt.

A Tongan service, for the five other victims who perished, will be held this Saturday at the Citipointe Church in Carindale at 9am.

Michelle Thomas, QUT News.