“There was a couch fire at Loafers Lodge at around 10.30pm on Monday night, prior to the fatal fire which occurred around two hours later,” he stated.
“The couch fire was not reported to emergency services at the time.
“As a part of our enquiries, we will probably be searching for to substantiate any hyperlink between that sofa fireplace and the following deadly fireplace.”
Police are still yet to enter the hostel to search for the 11 people who remain missing and recover the six bodies of those who have been confirmed dead, but are hoping to do so soon.
However, Bennett warned it could take days before the building is completely examined.
“Following a well being and security evaluation, officers hope to enter the constructing this afternoon to start a scene examination,” he said.
“This scene examination will probably be an intensive and methodical course of, and we anticipate it to take a while – seemingly a number of days.
“Alongside the scene examination, officers will be working to locate and recover those who lost their lives in the fire.
“We know there are various individuals ready for news of household and mates – together with the residents who escaped the hearth and are keenly ready for news of their fellow tenants.
“I again want to provide the reassurance that we have a large number of officers working on this investigation, with the aim of providing them the answers they need as quickly as possible.”
While there have been no fireplace sprinklers in Loafers Lodge earlier than Monday evening’s devastating blaze, Wellington City Council confirmed yesterday the constructing handed an unbiased security inspection simply two months in the past.
“The Loafers Lodge has a Building Warrant of Fitness issued in March this year,” the council stated in a press release.
“There were no concerns raised by the independently qualified person who inspected and tested the life safety systems in the building.”
While 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 hearth might result in a overview of the nation’s constructing laws.
Hipkins informed reporters on Wednesday he has requested Housing Minister Megan Woods to look into “issues around building regulation”, though stated any authorities overview would want to attend till after the present police investigation of the hostel.
“What comes out of their work, of course, will inform decisions about what a future review might look like.”
Source: www.9news.com.au
