Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson hosted a vigil to mark the three-year anniversary of the fatal Twin Parks fire.

Local leaders and affected community members gathered at Borough Hall to reflect on the somber day.

The deadly blaze on Jan. 9 claimed the lives of 17 people, including eight children.

That day, Haji Dukuray says his life changed forever.

"We lost five, so there was nobody left. My niece, my nephew, and their three children. The entire family was gone," he said through tears.

Fire officials say the five-alarm was ignited by a space heater. The dangerous conditions and deaths were a result of malfunctioning self-closing doors.

Advocates said both issues could have been prevented.

Legislation has since passed to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.

"Remembering our loved ones that were lost, and the fact that something has been done about it, so that no other family can go through the things that we went through," said Dukuray.