Wellington hostel fire: At least six killed after blaze engulfs New Zealand lodge
At least six people are dead and 11 are missing after a fire broke out at a four-storey hostel in Wellington, New Zealand.
The 92-room Loafers Lodge hostel in Newtown, in Wellington’s south, caught alight just after midnight on Monday, prompting an evacuation.
Local fire chief Nick Pyatt said it was a “once in a decade fire” for the nation’s capital, describing the tragedy as “the worst nightmare for us”.
The prime minister, Chris Hipkins, who visited the scene on Tuesday morning, said at least six people had died.
“I understand six confirmed previously and it looks like there are likely to be more.”
Residents have described horrific details of making split second decisions to save their lives as the fire engulfed their building.
“It was just scary, it was really scary, but I knew I had to jump out the window or just burn inside the building,” Tala Sili, a resident of the lodge, told news outlet RNZ.
The Loafers Lodge offered basic, affordable rooms with shared lounges, kitchens and laundry facilities to people of a wide range of ages.
