New Zealand hostel fire claims at least 6 lives
Written by Tunde Adeyemi on May 16, 2023
At least six people have died and others remain unaccounted for following a fire in a hostel in New Zealand.
More than 50 people were rescued in the four-storey Loafers Lodge hostel in Wellington while 11 others remain unaccounted for.
The cause of the blaze is still unknown.
Loafers Lodge Hostel has 92 rooms in total with more than 3,300 households as of February and caters to both short and long-term guests.
It was designated by New Zealand’s Ministry of Social Development in 2011 as an emergency accommodation provider.
Residents range from shift workers like nurses and hospital staff to unemployed and homeless people, according to local media reports.
Several residents are people who have been deported from Australia, with some still unaccounted for.
