Latest news with #TimothyLeitch
ABC News
6 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
6 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.
