At least six people have been killed in a devastating fire that broke out overnight Tuesday in a hostel in Wellington, New Zealand. The cause of the fire is still unknown, and 11 people remain unaccounted for. The hostel had no sprinklers and the fire alarm did not go off automatically. More than 50 residents were accounted for, and five more were rescued from the roof of the four-story building. Four people were hospitalized, one of whom was in serious condition. The hostel’s residents included workers at a nearby hospital, people who had recently been homeless, and New Zealanders who had been deported from Australia. The blaze was a “once in a decade” event for the city, said Nick Pyatt, the fire and emergency district manager for Wellington. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.
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