Fire at Loafers Lodge in Wellington in which several people died. Photo / Angelia Zhang
The nation woke up to harrowing news this morning as a blaze in Wellington ripped through a hostel.
Fire crews worked through the night to save as many lives as they could, but the full extent of lives and livelihoods lost so far remains unclear.
Katrina Bennett, Wellington head of news for the Herald, tells The Front Page podcast that this was a nightmare scenario for everyone staying in the establishment.
Here’s a rundown of what we know so far about the blaze.
Bennett: “That’s being actively investigated here in Wellington right now. What we do know is that in the early hours of this morning, at around 12.25am, fire crews were called to the Loafers Lodge on Adelaide Road, where they faced what Wellington Fire and Emergency district manager Nick Pyatt has described as their worst nightmare. They were confronted with the most challenging of scenes, which involved a building on fire with people inside. They got 52 people out of the building, including some who had to be rescued off the roof.”
Bennett: “We’ve been told by police that many of those who there were from the city’s transient community. One of the residents who actually lived there says a lot of the others worked nights and weren’t home when the fire started. A lot of people worked shifts. And a woman who owns a nearby grocer told us that a lot of medical workers also live there, which is particularly sad because if they’ve been injured then they would now be getting treated and cared for by their colleagues in the nearby hospital.”
Bennett: “Authorities have confirmed six people have died, but we don’t know the final figure. There could well be more fatalities. Because the building is still unsafe, authorities can’t really get inside and give it the all-clear. We currently have an urban search and rescue team working through and checking what they can.”
Bennett: “There is nothing official at this stage. This is going to be a big part of the investigation, including whether the fire was deliberately lit – that hasn’t been ruled out. There are also claims that smoke alarms weren’t activated, so all of this still has to be investigated.”
Bennett: “Housing Minister Megan Woods told us that the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment informed her that the building was up to its required code and was inspected just earlier this year. On the fact that there were no sprinklers, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the building code doesn’t actually require the retrofitting of sprinklers. He says there are likely a number of similar buildings across the country.”
Bennett: “One of the main priorities is getting inside the building and giving it the all clear, checking that everyone is out and confirming the number of fatalities to give answers to those who haven’t heard from loved ones. Authorities will also need to make sure the building is structurally safe and not at risk of collapse. There are also concerns about the possibility of asbestos in the roof. And the other big priority here is looking after all of those residents who have been evacuated and are now homeless. This will mean finding somewhere to stay, meeting their immediate needs of clothing, food and support.”
Listen to the full episode of The Front Page to hear Bennett share more details around the disaster.
The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am.
You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
OPINION: New Zealander reflects on delivering speech at St James' Palace.