Wellington hostel fire: Probe under way into buildings similar to Loafers Lodge

Wellington City Council is investigating how many other buildings in the capital are similar to Loafers Lodge, where at least six people have died in a devastating fire.

The property did not have fire sprinklers as the Building Code does not require them to be retrofitted. It was issued with a Building Warrant of Fitness in March.

One Wellington body corporate chairwoman said: “Your mind naturally turns to, ‘Could that be us?’”.

The council has also confirmed that just one block out of about 1927 properties in its social housing stock has a sprinkler system, although all other complexes have compliant fire safety systems installed.

Wellington City Council chief planning officer Liam Hodgetts said the council’s first priority was helping with formal investigations into the fire.

“We have also begun identifying similar buildings across the city and will provide that information as soon as we can.”

The council has plenty of experience when it comes to reviewing potentially problematic buildings.

Council officials reviewed property files to find 113 buildings in Wellington with the same cladding used on the Grenfell Tower in London, where 71 people died in a fire.

They also formed a list of buildings that contained characteristics similar to Statistics House, which partially collapsed in the Kaikōura earthquake, and issued formal letters to 80 owners to undertake targeted damage assessments.

The Herald contacted several other hostels across Wellington about what fire safety protection measures they had in place, but did not receive a response.

Taranaki Street, viewed looking north from Bidwell Street in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell

One Wellington body corporate has already sent an email to owners advising what fire protection is in place, what’s not in place, residents’ responsibilities and what to do in a fire.

The seven-storey building is not legally required to have sprinklers.

But the body corporate chairwoman said there were things like smoke alarms, evacuation sounders, manual call points, fire extinguishers and some fire-rated glass.

The apartments are separated by concrete walls, which she said appeared to be a key difference between their building and Loafers Lodge.

There are exterior stairs at each end of the walkways between the apartments, she said.

“I think we’re pretty solid, but it’s that Swiss cheese model... [there] usually [has to be] about three or four different things going wrong for that to turn into a really significant event. So, could we have a Swiss cheese situation?”

Loafers Lodge director Gregory Mein has said the company was entitled to rely on experts to ensure the building had robust standards.

The body corporate chairwoman thought that was fair.

“We don’t have the technical skills to figure it out and do it ourselves.”

“It’s like taking your car into the garage.”

Last year, they spent $6,454 on fire systems and the Building Warrant of Fitness, she said.

Wellington City Council has already looked at its social housing stock and confirmed only one block has a sprinkler system in it.

But all buildings have fire safety systems in place, meet legal requirements, are regularly tested and checked and six-monthly trial evacuations are held for residents, the council said.

A map showing the location of Loafers Lodge in Wellington, which was recently the scene of a fatal fire.

There was about one emergency housing client at Loafers Lodge each year over the past seven years. The last was in March 2023.

Ministry of Social Development (MSD) housing group general manager Karen Hocking said Loafers Lodge was not a regular supplier of emergency housing.

“The property was more suited to long-term rental arrangements, but on rare occasions, we provided an emergency housing special needs grant for someone to stay there briefly.”

Asked whether MSD was taking any action to review fire safety in emergency housing in light of the fire, Hocking said their clients’ safety was important.

“We expect the business owners who supply accommodation to our clients to meet all relevant standards imposed by regulatory authorities, including fire safety requirements.

“If someone staying in emergency housing contacts us with concerns about quality or safety, we follow up on this with the supplier.”

Hocking said alternative accommodation could be found if these concerns could not be quickly or mutually resolved.

“Depending on the scope and severity of the issue, we may not use the supplier until it has been remedied.”

The sister of a man who used to live at Loafers Lodge said he was charged $250 a week to stay in “shamefully sub-standard” conditions.

The lodge director wouldn’t comment on claims of poor conditions and high prices, but noted there were bound to be “disgruntled” people in a place that can house “90-odd people”.

Institute for Governance and Policy Studies senior associate Max Rashbrooke lived undercover in a boarding house for three weeks in 2012.

He was writing a feature about living conditions in this type of accommodation.

“It was pretty grim,” he said.

“It was in Brooklyn and it housed about 14 people - most of them older guys who had alcoholism issues. The rooms were damp and smelled terrible and were very mouldy. Some of them the windows didn’t close properly, so the rain came hosing through.”

There was no hot water in the bathrooms, many of the showers didn’t work and there was no washing machine or fridge, Rashbrooke said.

It provided housing for vulnerable people who had no other option, he said.