Multiple Fatalities in Hostel Fire in New Zealand
Several people have died in a fire that broke out at a hostel in a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city. The reason for the fire is still unknown.
At least six people have died in the fire at the multistory hostel. The exact number of people who were in the building at the time of the incident is still unknown, and the number of casualties may rise.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight, and firefighters rushed to the scene to put out the flames. According to the fire department, over 50 people were rescued from the building. Many of the residents were long-term residents, including older people, according to news agency dpa. Several people were admitted to hospitals, at least two of whom were in critical condition.
Police say more than ten people are still missing, and the victims have not been recovered, as the hostel has not been able to be entered for safety reasons. The roof collapsed, and everything on the top floor is “in ruins.” Police spokesman Dion Bennett expects that the building will be secured on Wednesday, and then the search for victims can begin.
New Zealand’s Worst Nightmare: Hostel Fire Claims Lives
Nick Pyatt, the chief of the local fire department, described the fire as New Zealand’s worst nightmare and said, “Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased and our first responders who bravely rescued the people they could and tried to save those who could not be saved.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said it was an “absolute tragedy” and a “terrible situation.” He announced that a series of investigations would be carried out to determine what had happened and why it had happened. But for the moment, the focus is on dealing with the situation.
Even after hours of extinguishing work, the hostel could not be entered for the time being.
Hostel Lacked Sprinkler Systems
It is still unclear how the fire broke out in the Newtown hostel. According to AP news agency, there were no sprinkler systems in the building. Prime Minister Hipkins said it is not yet a requirement to retrofit older buildings with such systems.
Residents have reported that the fire alarm in the hostel had been regularly set off, which may have led to some of the residents not taking the alarm seriously.
