A New Zealand hostel hit by a horrific blaze that killed at least 10 people housed rough sleepers, pensioners and recently released prisoners, it has emerged.
Fire and emergency crews were called to the Loafers Lodge Hostel on Adelaide Road in Wellington just before 12:30am to battle a fire raging on the top floor.
Up to 52 people were evacuated from the building after but another 20 are believed to be unaccounted for.
Loafers Lodge advertises itself as an affordable place for people to stay while in Wellington but has been widely criticised for bedbugs and the poor quality of its rooms.
Locals have also reported that the hostel is mostly used as temporary accommodation for people leaving prison, the homeless and others who are considered vulnerable.
Hospital staff are also believe to have been staying at the Lodge at the time of the fire.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Tuesday: ‘It’s short term, hostel-type accommodation, so there will be people in there who potentially are in quite a vulnerable situation.’
Ministry of Social Development housing general manager Karen Hocking revealed that some of the people living in the building were those receiving financial assistance from the government.
At least one person was injured as they tried to jump from a third-floor window, while five people were rescued from the roof with an aerial appliance (crews at the scene)
This could include people on welfare, low income and pensioners.
There were no vacancies at the hostel, which is also used for transient housing, except for a number of rooms being treated for bedbugs, Radio NZ reported.
Efforts to establish how many hospital staff were in Loafers Lodge at the time of the fire was underway by Capital and Coast District Health Board.
‘We are aware that a number of our staff reside in the building, however we are not able to confirm numbers at this time,’ a spokesman said this morning.
‘We are working to establish whether they were in the building at the time of the incident, and to confirm their safety.’
A significant number of the residents were under the care of Wellington City Mission, which provides transitional housing for people without a home.
Meanwhile, Community Corrections staff confirmed they had people on community release staying at the lodge.
City Missioner Murray Edridge said many vulnerable people under their care had registered the lodge as their address.
‘A significant proportion of residents of the lodge are under our care. This is an absolute disaster. These are people who are inherently vulnerable anyway. It’s a tragedy for our community.
‘Our plan is to try to contact people to establish if they are alright and if so what they need.
‘We are working with the Council. We have offered social work to support people who are displaced, whether they are our clientele or not.
‘We have offered food and support that they might need in the hours and days ahead.’
Deportee advocate Filipa Payne said the hostel was used by Prison Aid and Rehabilitation to house returned deportees.
Damage is seen on the Loafers Lodge hostel building following a fatal fire in Wellington
Up to 10 people have died after a fire broke out at a hostel building in central Wellington overnight amid fears there could be more fatalities (pictures is the Lodgers Loafers hostel)
‘There was quite a family unit. This is a horrible tragedy that will affect people that have been placed there through a traumatic and barbaric system.’
Others have criticised the lodge online, leaving scathing reviews on Google.
A source said: ‘It was a pretty horrible hostel and many refused to stay there.
‘It was full of drunks and junkies.’
One Google review read: ‘Good if you’re in a bind, but it’s pretty gross and people will steal your stuff.’
Another said: ‘A friend was staying there, the management kicked him out because he completed about bed bugs, so it’s bed bug lodge. Do not stay there, manager does not care.’
While a third said: ‘This place is run by lunatics. Don’t stay here.’
Some reviews were more complimentary, with a man saying: ‘If you’re a lone wolf who doesn’t cause trouble and doesn’t want trouble, just prefers a safe, peaceful and quiet place where you can be your own self and not have to worry about being in the spotlight or being in a crowd, then this safe haven is the place for you.’
Ms Hocking added that Loafers Lodge was not currently used as a supplier of emergency housing.
The hostel was on a list of accommodation providers and had been used in the past but there were not currently any emergency housing clients there.
It has also been confirmed there were no 501 deportees there either.
‘We sympathise with all those affected by the fire at Loafers Lodge in Wellington this morning,’ Hocking said.
At least six people have died in a horror hostel fire, with fears dozens could be unaccounted for
‘Our deepest sympathy to the families of those who have lost their lives.
‘Some of the people who lived there have been in ‘receipt of financial assistance from MSD’, she said.
The ministry is yet to provide complete numbers about its clients in the building.
MSD was working closely with Wellington City Council, which was leading the welfare response, she said.
‘Our staff are onsite at the welfare centre with other agencies to ensure the needs of those impacted are addressed.
‘We will be working with all agencies to support the needs of our clients with clothing, footwear and working with those agencies to rehouse those displaced by the fire.’
