Six killed in New Zealand hostel fire

WELLINGTON — A fire ripped through a four-story hostel in New Zealand's capital in the early hours of Tuesday, killing at least six people as others fled for their lives, with some plucked from the roof.

Towering flames and thick smoke could be seen pouring from the top-floor windows of the Loafers Lodge hostel in central Wellington during the night, as 80 firefighters and 20 trucks battled the blaze.

Firefighters found six bodies inside the charred building, but a roof collapse on the top floor prevented them from searching the 92-room hostel, emergency services said.

Police said the final toll could not be confirmed until they had entered the building for a "methodical "examination once it was made safe, probably on Wednesday.

Six people were taken to hospital, one in serious condition, the city's ambulance service said. An additional 15 people were treated at the scene. More than 50 people were rescued.

The fire was being treated as "suspicious", Fire and Emergency New Zealand region manager Bruce Stubbs told reporters.

But police said it would remain "unexplained" until their investigators could examine the scene.

About 90 people were thought to have been in the building when the blaze began, fire services said.

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins described the fire as "an absolute tragedy". Hipkins praised the "incredible efforts" of firefighters to extinguish the blaze and evacuate people.

The building was inspected early this year and it met all requirements. However, it does not have sprinkler systems, said New Zealand Housing Minister Megan Woods.

"The building code does not require the retrofitting of sprinkler systems into existing older buildings, so there will be a number of buildings that fall into that category," Hipkins said, adding there could be quite a large number of buildings that do not have sprinkler systems.

Agencies - Xinhua