New Zealand: Hostel fire likely ‘arson’ – death toll unclear Four killed in attack on US convoy in Nigeria

After the flames in a hostel in the New Zealand capital Wellington, the authorities believe that arson is the cause. The exact number of victims is still unclear. After securing the building, emergency services began searching for missing persons and recovering the victims who had already been located on Wednesday afternoon (local time), police chief Dion Bennett told reporters. Any traces must also be secured. Details about the possible arson were not initially known.

“Less than 20 people” would be considered missing, Bennett said without giving details. On Tuesday, the authorities had already spoken of at least six dead and eleven missing. None of the victims have been recovered so far.

The devastating fire at the three-story Loafers Lodge in the Newtown neighborhood broke out late Monday night. The investigation of the building will be “an extensive and methodical process,” Bennett said Wednesday morning: “We assume it will take some time — probably several days.” The damage is significant. The roof had collapsed and some of the burnt debris was about three feet high.

Dozens of people were rescued from the burning building. Some escaped to the roof. A total of 92 residents of the hostel are now alive, according to Bennett, but not all of them were in the building at the time of the fire.

The chief of the local fire department described the fire as “the worst nightmare”. Rescuing people trapped on the upper floors was also made more difficult by the fact that the fire brigade only had a large revolving ladder truck at its disposal. A second fire truck with a rotating ladder was defective, reports Radio New Zealand radio station. (oee/sda/dpa)