To upload a Crime Report, click on the + symbol button at the top of this page. Search by city, country or category of crime.
Post comments below.
Six people were killed after a fire broke out at Loafers Lodge on May 16.(AP: Newshub)
New Zealand police have arrested a man and charged him with two counts of arson in connection with a fire at a Wellington hostel that killed at least six people.
Key points:
Police say they may file more serious charges in relations to the deaths
The suspect has not yet been named by police
About two hours before the fatal blaze, there was a couch fire at the hostel which was not reported to emergency services
Police said the investigation was ongoing and they could file more serious charges in relation to the deaths at the scene.
Earlier, police said they had launched a homicide investigation.
The suspect, who was not immediately named by police, is scheduled to make his first appearance on Friday in the Wellington District Court.
Earlier, police removed the first two bodies from the Loafers Lodge hostel and said they planned to remove the next two on Friday.
Police Inspector Dion Bennett said was possible they would find more victims as officers continued their scene examination.
"The damage on the third floor is significant," Inspector Bennett told reporters.
"The debris is piled high and there is much for them to move and search underneath."
He declined to say if they had found accelerant or other evidence of criminal behaviour at the scene.
The Loafers Lodge offered 92 basic, affordable rooms with shared lounges, kitchens and laundry facilities to people of a wide range of ages.
Couch fire just hours before fatal blaze
Police said there had been a couch fire at the Loafers Lodge hostel about two hours before the large, fatal fire on Tuesday.
They said the couch fire was not reported to emergency services at the time, and they were investigating to see if there was any link between the two fires.
The fatal fire ripped through the building early on Tuesday, forcing some people to flee in their pyjamas. Others were rescued by firefighters from the roof or dived from windows.
Safety tape is seen cordoning off a four-storey building with visible fire damage to the top floor
The fire caused serious structural damage to the hostel.
The Loafers Lodge offered 92 basic, affordable rooms with shared lounges, kitchens and laundry facilities to people of a wide range of ages. Some people were placed there by government agencies. Others worked at a nearby hospital.
Emergency officials said the building had no fire sprinklers.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said the nation's building codes did not require sprinklers in older buildings where they would need to be retrofitted.
"I have asked the minister for housing to look particularly at issues around building regulations to see whether there's anything more that we should be doing right at this point," Mr Hipkins told reporters on Wednesday.
Source:ABC news
Comments