At least six people have died after a fire broke out at a residential hostel in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. 11 people are still missing in this incident. However, the cause of the fire is not yet known.
Police said the fire broke out on the fourth floor of the four-storey Loafers Lodge in the Newtown area of the city around 12:30 local time on Tuesday after midnight.
Officials said they fear the death toll could rise as many are still missing.
City search and rescue crews have begun combing through the smoldering wreckage of the hostel, the New Zealand Herald reported.
Loafers Lodge resident Tala Seeley told state-run Radio New Zealand she opened the door to see smoke coming from under the door and found the entire hallway filled with smoke. He decided to jump from the window two stories down to another roof.
“I realized I had to either jump out of the window or burn to death inside the building,” he said.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) has launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, as well as structural and risk assessments, Reuters reported.
Police said they could not say more until the 92-room building was secured. And the roof of the building is in danger of collapsing.
