At least six people have died in a devastating fire at a hostel in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington. According to police, about a dozen other residents were still missing as of Tuesday afternoon.
The fire in the three-storey building broke out shortly after midnight for reasons that have not yet been clarified. Several people were taken to the hospital, two are in critical condition, it said.
Radio New Zealand reported that it was still impossible to enter the hostel for security reasons, so the exact number of victims is still unclear. More than 50 people were rescued from the burning building.
Some escaped to the roof. The media quoted the local head of the fire brigade as saying that the inferno was “the worst nightmare”. “It doesn’t get much worse.” The emergency services would have risked their lives trying to save as many people as possible.
It was scary but I knew I had to jump or I would have burned in the building.
an eyewitness
The 92-room Loafers Lodge is located in Newtown, a suburb of Wellington. It housed many long-term residents, including the elderly, survivors said. One man said he jumped out of a window onto a roof in a panic. “It was scary, but I knew I had to jump or I would have burned in the building.”
Hostel fire in New Zealand: Prime Minister speaks of tragedy
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said: “It is an absolute tragedy and a terrible situation.” The cause of the fire is still unclear. “Of course, over time there will be a number of investigations into what happened and why it happened, but for now the focus must be on managing the situation,” the prime minister said. According to initial information, there were no sprinkler systems in the hostel.
The fire brigade was in action with a large contingent. Videos distributed on the Internet showed how huge flames raged, especially in the upper floors. A coroner said identifying the victims was difficult and could take a long time. It was not yet clear how many people were in the hostel at the time of the fire. (dpa)
