Sharjah24: At least six people were killed after a four-story hostel caught fire in the early hours of Tuesday in the capital of New Zealand. Others ran for their life, some of whom were snatched from the roof, and others were injured.
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.
Emergency services said multiple people had died in the 92-room hostel and 52 people had been rescued.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said at least six people had been killed and the city's mayor said the toll could be significantly higher.
Firefighters used a ladder truck to save people trapped on the roof, said Fire and Emergency deputy national commander Brendan Nally.
"They plucked quite a few people off the top of the roof from an area directly above the fire," Nally told local media.
"There was no other way. Those people were going to perish, except for the intervention of our team. Multiple people are walking around because of it."
There were no sprinklers in the hostel, Nally said.
Eleven people remained unaccounted for but that number was expected to fall "a little", he said.
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