Latest news with #LoafersLodge
RNZ News
a day ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Loafers Lodge: Survivors' advocate hopes manslaughter charges bring closure
Fire broke out at the Loafers Lodge building in the early hours of 16 May, 2023, with almost 100 residents inside. Five were killed. Charges have now been laid in connection to the case. Photo: RNZ /Angus Dreaver Wellington's city missioner says three new charges of manslaughter over the fire at Loafers Lodge are a step closer to closure for families and former residents. The blaze just over two years ago killed five of the building's 92 residents. The police said the newly accused - two men, aged 75 and 58, and a 70-year-old woman - each face five charges of manslaughter, and were involved with the management and operation of the building, responsible for aspects of its fire safety. The defendants entered no plea when they appeared in court on Thursday afternoon, and Judge Peter Hobbs remanded the trio on bail to appear in the court later in the month. He included orders for the trio not to have contact with each other, or a fourth individual yet to appear, and granted interim name suppression. Flames seen in the top storey of the Loafers Lodge building in Adelaide Road, Newtown, Wellington. Photo: Supplied / Axel Dann Police said they expect to lay charges against another man in coming days. Murray Edridge from the Wellington City Mission told RNZ he remained in contact with a number of former residents of the lodge, and said people were still suffering from the trauma. "It's clear that there's still significant trauma associated with the fire. It feels like it's an unconcluded process and people are still in pain." He hoped the court process now underway would help people find closure. "So many questions have remained unanswered," he said. "It may be that the accountability that appears to be coming from the newly laid charges will help people get to some point of conclusion with their own trauma." Separately, a 50-year-old man, who has name suppression, has previously been charged with murder and arson, and is due to stand trial in August. Meanwhile, the gutted three-storey building stands virtually unchanged on Adelaide Road and its future remains unclear. Edridge said it was a constant reminder of the pain former residents went through. Loafers Lodge on the night of the blaze. Photo: RNZ / Denise Garland Association of Building Compliance chief executive Trent Fearnley told RNZ these types of charges were the first he had heard of. "Generally speaking, there has been some issues of non-compliance where we have had dangerous buildings that have been acknowledged by the council and Fire Emergency New Zealand, but that's also a rare case." Fearnley said events like the Loafers Lodge fire put a spotlight on building compliance. "We are always constantly improving and this was just a reminder that we need to continue to constantly improve." He said the charges were a reminder of what can happen if people did not do their job responsibly. University of Auckland law professor Julia Tolmie said under the Crimes Act, those who were in control of something that might endanger life had to use reasonable care to avoid danger. Tolmie said if that was breached and it resulted in death that would be culpable homicide or effectively manslaughter. She believed operators of accommodation services would be taking note of the latest charges. Fire and Emergency use a skylift to assess damage to Loafers Lodge following the fatal fire. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver Mayor Tory Whanau told RNZ she was pleased police had undertaken "such a thorough investigation leading to the laying of these charges". "We will await the outcome of the trial," she said. "My heart goes out to the whānau and friends of those who perished in the Loafers Lodge fire, who continue to grieve." The fire triggered a series of inquiries into fire protections . A Wellington City Council audit released in June 2023 found 25 similar buildings in the capital. Twenty-one had a current building warrant of fitness, one never had one and three did, but they were not current. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) launched a probe into 37 similar buildings - that is, boarding houses at least three storeys tall, with no sprinklers - and found more than 100 problems, including smoke detectors not working and unmonitored alarm systems. It also found the boarding houses were on average 60 years old. Most were not built originally to be accommodation and 69 percent had issues with safety systems. At the time of the two-year anniversary, the Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk told RNZ he expected the final report and recommendations to be delivered within weeks, and that it would be made public shortly after. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Midday Report Essentials for Thursday 5 June 2025
conservation crime 37 minutes ago In today's episode, the Prime Minister has expressed what he says is his absolute shock over revelations about one of his senior press secretaries, the worst of the wild weather which has been lashing the country appears to be over - for now, three people have been charged with manslaughter over the 2023 Loafers Lodge fire in Wellington, and it's that time of year again-when young kekeno or fur seals start turning up in all sorts of odd places, from footpaths and paddocks to busy roads.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Three charged with manslaughter over Loafers Lodge fire
Three people have been charged with manslaughter over the 2023 Loafers Lodge fire in Wellington. Crime correspondent Sam Sherwood spoke to Tuwhenuaroa Natanahira.
ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
Manslaughter charges laid over Loafers Lodge hostel fire in NZ that killed five people
Three people have been charged with manslaughter over the May 2023 boarding house fire in Wellington that killed five people, New Zealand Police has announced. A two-year investigation to establish if the condition of the Loafers Lodge building and its fire safety systems "contributed to the fatal outcome" led to the charges, Detective Senior Sergeant Timothy Leitch said in a statement. "The people we have charged today were involved with the management and operation of the building, and police allege they were responsible for aspects of the building's fire safety system," he said. Two men aged 75 and 58, and a 70-year-old woman, will appear in the Wellington District Court later on Thursday, local time, each facing charges of manslaughter. Police have spoken to a third man and expect to also charge him with manslaughter in the coming days. In the week of the incident, a 50-year-old man, whose name has been suppressed, was charged with deliberately lighting the fire. He pleaded not guilty and that matter is before the High Court and scheduled to go to trial in August. Senior Sergeant Leitch said police would like to acknowledge "the long-term impact on those who lost loved ones, the residents who lost their friends, their home and treasured personal property, as well as the many others that have been affected by the far reaching and devastating event". Loafers Lodge was home to more than 50 people and caught fire in the middle of the night on May 16, 2023. Michael Wahrlich, Melvin Parun, Peter O'Sullivan, Kenneth Barnard and Liam Hockings died in the fire. The family of Mr Hockings released a statement after the manslaughter charges were laid against people involved in the operation and management of the building. "While nothing can bring the victims back, we support this step toward accountability," the family statement read. "This tragedy has highlighted serious concerns about the safety and conditions of some accommodation, particularly for vulnerable people in our communities who are often housed in buildings like this. "Everyone deserves a safe place to live — regardless of their circumstances — and we urge all those who own, operate, or manage buildings to take their responsibilities seriously. Lives literally depend on it." Mr Hockings' family said they were still coming to terms with his death. "He would have turned 53 just a few days ago," they said. "His absence has left a huge void in our lives and in the wider Newtown community that knew and cherished him." The hostel was known to be short-to-medium-term accommodation for hospital and abattoir staff, as well as vulnerable city residents hoping to escape the cold temperatures overnight. The department responsible for fire safety compliance took the opportunity to remind accommodation owners and managers in New Zealand they are required "to ensure those who occupy their premises are protected from fire". There have been a series of official inquiries at both a council and national level as a result of the deadly fire at Loafers Lodge. The probes found there were problems with fire compliance across a number of hostel-type buildings across the capital. ABC
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Loafers Lodge fire: Three people charged with manslaughter following two-year police investigation
Five people died in the devastating blaze that began shortly after midnight on May 16, 2023. Photo: Supplied / Axel Dann Three people have been charged with manslaughter in relation to the Loafers Lodge fire that killed five of the building's 92 residents. The charges follow a two-year investigation by police into the state of the building, and whether the management and compliance of its fire safety systems contributed to the outcome. Michael Wahrlich, Melvin Parun, Peter O'Sullivan, Kenneth Barnard and Liam Hockings died in the devastating blaze that began shortly after midnight on May 16, 2023. A 50-year-old man, who has name suppression, was charged with murder and arson. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and is due to stand trial in August. On Thursday, Wellington police's area investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Timothy Leitch said three other people had been charged with manslaughter in relation to the fire. Michael Wahrlich one of the five people killed in the blaze. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone "Since the tragedy a team of Police have been dedicated to an investigation to establish if the state of the building and the management and compliance of its fire safety systems contributed to the fatal outcome." The people charged were involved with the management and operation of the building and police allege they were responsible for aspects of the building fire safety, Leitch said. Those charged are two men aged 75 and 58, and a 70-year-old woman. They will appear in the Wellington District Court later today facing five charges of Manslaughter. "Police have spoken to a third man and expect to also charge him with manslaughter in the coming days." In a statement, Liam Hockings' family say they're still coming to terms with his death. "He would have turned 53, just a few days ago. Liam was much loved - an intelligent, caring, and unforgettable character. His absence has left a huge void in our lives and in the wider Newtown community that knew and cherished him." They said the charges were a step towards accountability, though nothing would bring Liam back. "This tragedy has highlighted serious concerns about the safety and conditions of some accommodation, particularly for vulnerable people in our communities who are often housed in buildings like this. Everyone deserves a safe place to live - regardless of their circumstances - and we urge all those who own, operate, or manage buildings to take their responsibilities seriously. Buildings must be safe, compliant, well maintained. Lives literally depend on it. "We hope that, through this process, Liam's death will not have been in vain, and that it may lead to real, lasting change that protects others in the future, so that no other family has to endure what we have." Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment wanted to take the opportunity to remind all those who own or manage a building, particularly buildings with sleeping accommodation, of their responsibility to ensure those who occupy their premises are protected from fire. This included ensuring their obligations are met under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act by having the necessary evacuation procedures in place, and an approved evacuation scheme if you have a "relevant building" and ensuring the means of escape from fire for the building were maintained as outlined in the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Regulations 2018. "Where applicable, ensure you understand the maintenance requirements for the specified systems outlined in your building's compliance schedule as required under the Building Act. Particularly those relating to the building emergency warning system or fire alarm." The lodge in 2025. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Owners of a tenanted residential property are also reminded to ensure their fire safety obligations are met under the Residential Tenancies Act. "The loss of life and injuries experienced during this fire were preventable, and Police would like to acknowledge the long-term impact, on those who lost loved ones, the residents who lost their friends, their home and treasured personal property, as well as the many others that have been affected by the far reaching and devastating event." The fire triggered a series of inquiries into fire protections. A Wellington City Council audit released in June 2023 found 25 similar buildings to Loafers Lodge in the capital. Twenty-one had a current building warrant of fitness, one never had one and three did, but they were not current. Following the fire, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) launched a probe into 37 buildings like Loafers Lodge (buildings that were at least three storeys tall, a boarding house and had no sprinklers). It found more than 100 problems, including smoke detectors not working and unmonitored alarm systems. It also found the boarding houses were on average 60 years old. Most were not built originally to be accommodation and 69 per cent had problems with safety systems. MBIE's head of building system, delivery and assurance Simon Thomas said in May issues around building warrant of fitness inspections had been resolved as of October last year. In addition to further guidance on building warrant of fitness compliance, an amendment to the Building Act in November 2024 increased fines and penalties for breaches, he said. After the probe into boarding houses, the government asked MBIE to do a full review of the building code's fire safety provisions. At the end of last year, Fire and Emergency (FENZ) said it was unable to release a review into how it responded to the fatal fire while a criminal investigation was under way.
