Police in New Zealand are investigating whether or not there are any hyperlinks between a sofa fireplace lit on the Loafers Lodge hostel on Monday night time and the suspicious blaze two hours later that killed not less than six individuals.
In a press release launched on Wednesday, Inspector Dion Bennett, Performing Wellington District Commander, confirmed the sofa fireplace passed off however was by no means reported to police or firefighters.
"There was a sofa fireplace at Loafers Lodge at round 10.30pm on Monday night time, previous to the deadly fireplace which occurred round two hours later," he stated.
"The sofa fireplace was not reported to emergency providers on the time.
"As a part of our enquiries, we might be searching for to verify any hyperlink between that sofa fireplace and the following deadly fireplace."
Police are nonetheless but to enter the hostel to seek for the 11 individuals who stay lacking and recuperate the six our bodies of those that have been confirmed lifeless, however are hoping to take action quickly.
Nonetheless, Bennett warned it may take days earlier than the constructing is totally examined.
"Following a well being and security evaluation, officers hope to enter the constructing this afternoon to start a scene examination," he stated.
"This scene examination might be an in depth and methodical course of, and we anticipate it to take a while – doubtless a number of days.
"Alongside the scene examination, officers might be working to find and recuperate those that misplaced their lives within the fireplace.
"We all know there are a lot of individuals ready for information of household and mates – together with the residents who escaped the fireplace and are keenly ready for information of their fellow tenants.
"I once more wish to present the reassurance that we've got numerous officers engaged on this investigation, with the purpose of offering them the solutions they want as rapidly as attainable."
Whereas there have been no fireplace sprinklers in Loafers Lodge earlier than Monday night time's devastating blaze, Wellington Metropolis Council confirmed yesterday the constructing handed an unbiased security inspection simply two months in the past.
"The Loafers Lodge has a Constructing Warrant of Health issued in March this yr," the council stated in a press release.
"There have been no considerations raised by the independently certified one that inspected and examined the life security methods within the constructing."
Whereas new buildings are required to put in sprinkler methods, older ones just like the hostel are exempt from having to retroactively match them, nonetheless Prime Minister Chris Hipkins stated the fireplace may result in a evaluate of the nation's constructing laws.
Hipkins instructed reporters on Wednesday he has requested Housing Minister Megan Woods to look into "points round constructing regulation", though stated any authorities evaluate would want to attend till after the present police investigation of the hostel.
"What comes out of their work, in fact, will inform choices about what a future evaluate may appear to be."
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