|
|
|
|
|
19 May 2023
|
Fatal fire has ripped through a hostel in Wellington, New Zealand
|
|
|
A fire at a 92-room hostel killed at least six people in New Zealand's capital Wellington, on Tuesday, 16 May 2023. The fire broke out on the top floor of the four-storey hostel, Loafers Lodge, in the Wellington neighbourhood of Newtown just after midnight, police said, causing major structural damage that is hampering recovery efforts. "There is a significant amount of debris from the roof collapse but at this stage we have located six people," Bruce Stubbs, the incident commander from Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) said. Aerial trucks winched about five people to safety from the roof, while others fled or jumped from windows and roofs to escape.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said, “Crews were called to the Adelaide Rd building at 12h25am. Upon arrival, crews found a well involved fire on the top floor. The fire was quickly elevated to fifth alarm, with 20 appliances on the scene as of 4am.”
“Relief crews have relieved our overnight fire fighters this morning to complete mopping up work. Six crews are currently on-site including an Urban Search and Rescue Squad made up of technicians and drone operators. The USAR squad is currently assessing structural integrity before investigations start. ‘Once we've gained access to the building following structural integrity process, we will work on mopping up hotspots to allow for the investigation process,’ District Manager Nick Pyatt said.
He added that Fire and Emergency will be working with police on investigations. “At this stage any cause of the fire or any other details around the circumstances of the fire are cannot be confirmed.”
At its peak 29 crews, which amounts to more than 80 fire fighters attended the fire.
'Once-in-a-decade fire'
Pyatt said on Tuesday, "it doesn't get worse than this" for his crews. "This is a once-in-a-decade fire for Wellington. It's the worst nightmare for us," he said. "This is a tragic event for all involved. My heartfelt condolences go to the loved ones of those who have lost their lives."
There were around 92 residents at the 92-room hostel but there were some visitors and some that weren't present during the fire.
Emergency services tallied 52 people as having left the building, with six bodies remaining inside.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) believes the fire was suspicious, while police say it is too early to tell.
Police have warned the public not to expect quick answers on a final death toll, identification of victims or fire cause.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said New Zealanders had woken up to "tragic news". "I want to on behalf of the whole country, extend our support to the first responders who are on the scene, particularly our fire fighters, our police, our ambulance services and others," he said.
Sources: Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), SBS News, Reuters
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said, “Crews were called to the Adelaide Rd building at 12h25am. Upon arrival, crews found a well involved fire on the top floor. The fire was quickly elevated to fifth alarm, with 20 appliances on the scene as of 4am.”
“Relief crews have relieved our overnight fire fighters this morning to complete mopping up work. Six crews are currently on-site including an Urban Search and Rescue Squad made up of technicians and drone operators. The USAR squad is currently assessing structural integrity before investigations start. ‘Once we've gained access to the building following structural integrity process, we will work on mopping up hotspots to allow for the investigation process,’ District Manager Nick Pyatt said.
He added that Fire and Emergency will be working with police on investigations. “At this stage any cause of the fire or any other details around the circumstances of the fire are cannot be confirmed.”
At its peak 29 crews, which amounts to more than 80 fire fighters attended the fire.
'Once-in-a-decade fire'
Pyatt said on Tuesday, "it doesn't get worse than this" for his crews. "This is a once-in-a-decade fire for Wellington. It's the worst nightmare for us," he said. "This is a tragic event for all involved. My heartfelt condolences go to the loved ones of those who have lost their lives."
There were around 92 residents at the 92-room hostel but there were some visitors and some that weren't present during the fire.
Emergency services tallied 52 people as having left the building, with six bodies remaining inside.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) believes the fire was suspicious, while police say it is too early to tell.
Police have warned the public not to expect quick answers on a final death toll, identification of victims or fire cause.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said New Zealanders had woken up to "tragic news". "I want to on behalf of the whole country, extend our support to the first responders who are on the scene, particularly our fire fighters, our police, our ambulance services and others," he said.
Sources: Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ), SBS News, Reuters
