Wellington fire: Fears allayed after man makes contact with missing hostel mate

A man who was living on the top floor of a Wellington hostel destroyed by fire overnight is now accounted after his friend spent the morning desperately hoping he was not in the building when it went up in flames.

Up to 10 people are dead and 11 are still unaccounted for after fire ripped through Loafers Lodge on Adelaide Rd, Newtown.

Flames can be seen shooting from the Loafers Lodge in Wellington after a fatal fire overnight. Photo / Sunnie Chan

Urban search and rescue crews have started combing through the smouldering wreckage where fire experts say there will be no survivors found.

Wade Sloane had earlier told NZME his mate Josh lived on the top floor - and he had not been able to reach him.

However shortly before midday he confirmed Josh was fine.

He said the man had moved out of the lodge recently and was safe.

A drone is used by emergency services to survey the damage and risk of collapse at the Loafers Lodge in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Sloane said this morning his mate did not have a lot of support and he did not have a cellphone - making him hard to contact at the best of times.

“When I got up this morning and heard about this, I just raced straight up here to make sure he’s okay,” he said.

“He was at the top left. They didn’t have many exits... I don’t know how you’d get out from that sort of circumstance.

Sloane said he stayed in a similar lodge to Loafers so the fire hit even closer to home.

“It looks pretty bad,” he said.

“So I understand the circumstances... you know, that it’s pretty bad.

“I’m a bit upset... there’s not much you can do. But I hope everyone that did get out was safe and I feel for the people that passed away.”

Just before 9am authorities confirmed six people had died and 30 were unaccounted for.

“This is our worst nightmare. It doesn’t get worse than this,” said Wellington Fire and Emergency district manager Nick Pyatt.

“We were confronted with a challenging incident, you don’t get more challenging than this.

“(Firefighters) had to put their own lives at risk to get as many people out of there as possible.”

Firefighters remain at the scene in central Wellington, where a fire broke out at a hostel building overnight. Photo / Adam Cooper

Pyatt said crews were “heroic” and given the number of people in the building the incident was particularly challenging.

“Our thoughts at this time are with the families of those who have perished and with our crews who valiantly rescued those and attempted to rescue those that they couldn’t,” he said.

The hostel on Adelaide Rd can house 92 people and but it was unclear how many were inside when the fire broke out.

FENZ Deputy National Commander Brendon Nally confirmed to NewstalkZB that there were no sprinklers in Loafers Lodge.

The cause of the fatal blaze would be investigated as well as claims that smoke alarms were not activated and whether or not the fire was deliberately lit.

By 9.30am Nally said authorities had a list of people they believe were in the building and have got that down to 20 who they still need to find.

“It is horrendous... this is a tragic and out-of-scale event that we can’t get our minds around,” he said.

“It will affect a lot of people for a long time including firefighters who wanted to save everyone but unfortunately that hasn’t been able to happen.

“I am proud of them and the incredible work they did today.”

Specialist crews were working methodically and slowly through the building which had sustained serious structural damage, Nally said.

“We have a list of people who we believe were in the building that night which we got from the building owners. There are 20 names we are still trying to find,” he said.

“Residents could have gone to the facility in Newtown or at friends and whānau so I don’t want to get into speculation.”

When asked whether there could be someone alive in the building still, Nally said it was not possible.

“We have firefighters who did a fantastic job and have been at every part of the building where someone could be alive,” he explained.

“First responding crews said it was a dense, hot fire.

“Residents started to evacuate, and firefighters helped. They did an outstanding job.”

Fire and Emergency NZ Deputy National Commander Brendan Nally. Photo / FENZ

Firefighters rescued people from directly above the roof, “above the fire, saving lives”, Nally said.

“We got as many out as possible. We are dealing with a building with asbestos and partial collapse.

“We are being diligent and methodical to deal with this building. The fire spread on all floors, one specifically was the worst affected.”

Nally said fire crews had struggled to gain access.

“With that many residents (coming out)... no sprinklers. There was heavy smoke, but firefighters did a fantastic job.”

Nally said the building’s structural damage was of concern - including the fear of the roof falling in.

“With the amount of heat in the building it has impacted the structure,” he said.

“We have USAR people to assist us.”