NEW ZEALAND MOURNS AS HOSTEL FIRE CLAIMS LIVES AND LEAVES MISSING PERSONS, PRIME MINISTER CHRIS HIPKINS SPEAKS OUT.

The Prime Minister of New Zealand Chris Hipkins has disclosed that not less than six people have died and others remain unaccounted for following a fire in a hostel.

Emergency services were called to the four-storey Loafers Lodge hostel in Wellington just after midnight local time where dozens were rescued from the building, but police said several people remained unaccounted for.

Upon arrival at the fire, firefighters found the top level of the building ablaze and by 04:00 at least 20 fire trucks were involved in helping extinguish it.

Fire and Emergency District commander Nick Pyatt described the fire as Wellington’s worst nightmare.