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Man arrested, charged over Wellington hostel fire that killed at least six

Man arrested, charged over Wellington hostel fire that killed at least six

By Alipate Narawa
19/05/2023
Fire and Police investigators inspect inside the Loafers Hostel in Wellington, New Zealand, Thursday, May 18, 2023, following a fire that left several people dead in the early hours of Tuesday May 16. New Zealand police started removing bodies from the We

New Zealand police have arrested a man and charged him with two counts of arson in connection with a fire at a Wellington hostel that killed at least six people.

Police says the investigation is ongoing and they could file more serious charges in relation to the deaths at the scene.

Earlier, police also say they had launched a homicide investigation.

The suspect, who was not immediately named by police, is scheduled to make his first appearance today in the Wellington District Court.

Earlier, police removed the first two bodies from the Loafers Lodge hostel and said they planned to remove the next two today.

Police Inspector Dion Bennett says there is a possibility of finding more victims as they continue to examine the scene.

[Source: abc.net.au]

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