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RNZ News
3 days 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.
NZ Herald
15-05-2025
- NZ Herald
Two years on from Loafers Lodge fire Newtown building looms virtually unchanged
Meanwhile, the gutted three-storey building stands virtually unchanged on Adelaide Rd and its future remains unclear. Police said a man facing murder and arson charges is due to reappear in court at the end of this month. The survivors - where are they now? In the immediate aftermath of the fire, Wellington City Mission became the go-to organisation for survivors, with staff saying their lives changed overnight. Missioner Murray Edridge described it as an intense and challenging time. 'We got to hear stories about people having to climb over bodies to get out of the building. People who chose to jump out windows because there was no way out of the building,' he said. 'These were deeply traumatic events that for a number of people will stay with them probably the rest of their days.' He said it was not only a tragedy for the five people who lost their lives, but for the survivors who lost their home, and some of them, all their possessions. Kāinga Ora Wellington regional director Vicki McLaren said she could not disclose current information, but said at the time of the fire 41 Loafers residents were placed in Kāinga Ora houses, while others found homes in the private market or transitional housing. Edridge confirmed in the two years since, most had found permanent homes, some had left Wellington, and six remained at the Mission. Survivors contacted by RNZ were reluctant to speak on record for this story, however, Miimetua Cameron - who was one of the last people to escape her floor - asked that any article highlight the work of the City Mission and Wellingtonians for 'their kind donations'. In the hours after the blaze, Cameron, who works at Taylor Preston, told RNZ she was lucky to be alive, but had no idea where she and her partner would live. Speaking to RNZ this week, she said the couple's new accommodation was a significant improvement - a single unit with its own kitchen facilities. Edridge said while some ex-lodgers were doing really well, a recent fire drill showed others were still struggling. 'Even just the alarm in the building, the requirement to evacuate, triggered a number of people so severely - and it was a reflection on the experience they had two years ago. 'So, for most of us life has moved on, for the people directly impacted by the fire, it hasn't. In fact, it still stays with them very significantly.' He said part of the problem was that the lodge still remained on Adelaide Rd, and he was disappointed that another year had passed and nothing had changed. He wanted to see an urgent resolution - whether that be demolition or a rebuild. 'The stark reminder that creates everyday for people as they drive or walk past the site, where we still see a burnt-out shell, that will be retraumatising for many of these people time and time again. 'I guess my call is to whoever is responsible - legal, insurance, owners - to resolve it.' RNZ contacted the owner of the building, but they declined to comment for this story. A raft of reviews The fire triggered a series of inquiries into fire protection. 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% had issues with safety systems. MBIE's head of building system, delivery and assurance Simon Thomas said issues around building warrant of fitness inspections had been resolved as of October last year. Advertise with NZME. 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. Meanwhile, MBIE's head of tenancy Kat Watson said it had filed an application to take a boarding house operator to the Tenancy Tribunal for a range of breaches found in the initial investigation. No date had been set for the hearing, and Watson could not say whether the breaches were related to fire safety, given the case was yet to be heard. After the probe into boarding houses, the Government asked MBIE to do a full review of the building code's fire safety provisions. 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. He said more than 350 pages of feedback from architects, to builders and building occupants, had to be compiled. '[It] has been a long and arduous task but it's an important one and we're determined to get it right, not to rush it.' He said no one should have to endure the loss and trauma that resulted from the fire at Loafers Lodge. 'We remain committed to learning from this event to prevent similar tragedies in the future.' A man, who has name suppression, has pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges and is due appear at the High Court in Wellington at the end of May. At the end of last year, Fire and Emergency said it was unable to release a review into how it responded to the fatal fire while a criminal investigation was underway. Fire and Emergency NZ regional manager Bruce Stubbs said the organisation would continue to support police with the ongoing court case. He said two years on, Fire and Emergency's thoughts were with those who perished in the fire and also with staff who performed 'multiple rescues that evening in severe fire conditions'. In a statement, Mayor Tory Whanau said her heart went out to the whānau and friends of those who perished and continued to grieve.
RNZ News
15-05-2025
- RNZ News
Two years on from Loafers Lodge fire Newtown building looms virtually unchanged
The Loafers Lodge fire in May 2023 killed five of the building's 92 residents. Photo: Supplied / Axel Dann Some survivors of a fatal boarding house fire are still struggling with the trauma of that night two years on, the Wellington City Missioner says. Today marks the second anniversary of the [ Loafers Lodge fire in Newtown] that killed five of the building's 92 residents and left those who escaped homeless. Michael Wahrlich , Melvin Parun, Peter O'Sullivan, Kenneth Barnard and Liam Hockings lost their lives in the devastating blaze that began shortly after midnight on 16 May, 2023. Two years since the fatal fire, most of the Loafers Lodge residents have found permanent homes, but survivors were reluctant to speak to RNZ for this story. Meanwhile, the gutted three-storey building stands virtually unchanged on Adelaide Road and its future remains unclear. Police said a man facing murder and arson charges is due to reappear in court at the end of this month. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, Wellington City Mission became the go-to organisation for survivors, with staff having said their lives changed overnight. Missioner Murray Edridge described it as an intense and challenging time. "We got to hear stories about people having to climb over bodies to get out of the building. People who chose to jump out windows because there was no way out of the building. "These were deeply traumatic events that for a number of people will stay with them probably the rest of their days." Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone He said it was not only a tragedy for the five people who lost their lives, but for the survivors who lost their home, and some of them, all their possessions. Kāinga Ora Wellington regional director Vicki McLaren said she could not disclose current information, but said at the time of the fire 41 Loafers residents were placed in Kāinga Ora houses, while others found homes in the private market or transitional housing. Edridge confirmed in the two years since, most had found permanent homes, some had left Wellington, and six remained at the Mission. Survivors contacted by RNZ were reluctant to speak on record for this story, however Miimetua Cameron - who was one of the last people to escape her floor - asked that any article highlight the work of the City Mission and Wellingtonians for "their kind donations". In the hours after the blaze, Cameron, who works at Taylor Preston, [ told RNZ she was lucky to be alive], but had no idea where she and her partner would live. Speaking to RNZ this week, she said the couple's new accommodation was a significant improvement - a single unit with its own kitchen facilities. Miimetua Cameron lived at Loafers Lodge for three years. Photo: RNZ / Ashleigh McCaull Edridge said while some ex-Lodgers were doing really well, a recent fire drill showed others were still struggling. "Even just the alarm in the building, the requirement to evacuate, triggered a number of people so severely - and it was a reflection on the experience they had two years ago. "So, for most of us life has moved on, for the people directly impacted by the fire, it hasn't. In fact, it still stays with them very significantly." He said part of the problem was that the Lodge still remained on Adelaide Road, and he was disappointed that another year had passed and nothing had changed. He wanted to see an urgent resolution - whether that be demolition or a rebuild. "The stark reminder that creates everyday for people as they drive or walk past the site, where we still see a burnt out shell, that will be retraumatising for many of these people time and time again. "I guess my call is to whoever is responsible - legal, insurance, owners - to resolve it." RNZ contacted the owner of the building, but they declined to comment for this story. The Loafers Lodge building remains unchanged in 2025. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone 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 percent had issues with safety systems. MBIE's head of building system, delivery and assurance Simon Thomas said 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. Firefighters at the scene of the blaze in 2023. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver Meanwhile, MBIE's head of tenancy Kat Watson said it had filed an application to take a boarding house operator to the Tenancy Tribunal for a range of breaches found in the initial investigation. No date had been set for the hearing, and Watson could not say whether the breaches were related to fire safety, given the case was yet to be heard. After the probe into boarding houses, the government asked MBIE to do a full review of the building code's fire safety provisions. 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. He said more than 350 pages of feedback from architects, to builders and building occupants, had to be compiled. "[It] has been a long and arduous task but it's an important one and we're determined to get it right, not to rush it." He said no one should have to endure the loss and trauma that resulted from the fire at Loafers Lodge. "We remain committed to learning from this event to prevent similar tragedies in the future." A man, who has name suppression, has pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges and is due appear at the High Court in Wellington at the end of May. 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 underway. FENZ regional manager Bruce Stubbs said the organisation would continue to support police with the ongoing court case. He said two years on, FENZ's thoughts were with those who perished in the fire and also with staff who performed "multiple rescues that evening in severe fire conditions". In a statement, mayor Tory Whanau said her heart went out to the whānau and friends of those who perished and continued to grieve. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
13-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Wellington City Mission launches catering business
Catering for someone's next do could also help feed those who are less fortunate through a new initiative launched by the Wellington City Mission. Craig and Gail's Community conscious catering service offers an array of sandwiches, cakes and other treats for an office morning tea or function. All the proceeds will go to the Wellington City Mission and keeping its social cafe afloat at its community hub, Wakamaru. Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge spoke to Lisa Owen. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Scoop
27-04-2025
- Business
- Scoop
New World's Family2Family Food Bank Appeal Returns To Help Kiwis Doing It Tough
New World's Family2Family food bank appeal is back for 2025, helping ensure New Zealand families experiencing hardship have access to food and everyday essentials. Now in its sixth year, Family2Family is all about locals helping locals. Each New World store teams up with a nearby food bank or City Mission, so donations stay in the community. This year, New World will contribute $250,000 to City Missions and local food banks nationwide. Shoppers can also get involved from Monday, 28 April to Sunday, 25 May by: Filling a bag with food bank-friendly items and dropping it at their local New World collection point or Buying a pre-filled $20 Family2Family bag in-store or online. To make it easy, stores will label helpful items and there's a full list on the New World website. New World spokesperson Giselle Bleakley says it's a simple way for people to help out. 'Our Family2Family appeal gives New World shoppers an easy and practical way to make a difference. It's a chance for families to help other families by donating nutritious food and everyday essentials to those doing it tough.' Wellington City Missioner, Murray Edridge says the campaign plays a vital role in helping food banks meet growing demand, especially in the Winter months. 'Family2Family is so essential for the things that we do. The generosity that comes from these amazing gifts from the general public, with the help of New World, enables us to stock our social supermarket and support the community.' In addition to staples like rice, pasta, canned food, spreads, cereal, and toiletries, customers are encouraged to add small treats like biscuits or chocolate to their donation, a simple way to bring a little joy to someone's day. To learn more or donate online, visit:
