UPDATE: According to a deportee advocate, many of the residents were people recently deported from Australia under the 501s legislation.
She told New Zealand media outletthe hostel was used by Prison Aid and Rehabilitation and the government to house returned deportees, who she called “vulnerable and disconnected”.
A general view of the scene after a fire at Loafers Lodge on May 16, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand.Fire and Emergency district manager Nick Pyatt told reporters it was “a tragic event for all involved”. “My heartfelt condolences go to the loved ones of those who have lost their lives,” he said. “We are deeply shocked and saddened by news of a fire at the Loafers Lodge Hostel in Wellington overnight,” the spokesman said.
Tamrat Isse Adan has lived in a room on the second floor of the Loafers Lodge since last year. He said he was going to the toilet when he realised there was a fire and has now lost everything except for a jacket and his mobile phone.“When I come from the toilet there was smelling everywhere, smoke ... people running everywhere. I just jumped to my room, and I take my jacket and my mobile, that’s it.” He escaped down the stairs and out the door. He could see nothing in the dark.
“I’m very sad, very sad. My neighbour, he’s missing, maybe he’s dead, police say there’s a lot of people missing. Very sad.”Credit:He said he had spoken with his children in Australia and he didn’t know where he was going to stay on Tuesday night.
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