Five people died in the devastating blaze that began shortly after midnight on May 16, 2023. Photo: Supplied / Axel Dann
Three people have been charged with manslaughter in relation to the Loafers Lodge fire that killed five of the building's 92 residents.
The charges follow a two-year investigation by police into the state of the building, and whether the management and compliance of its fire safety systems contributed to the outcome.
Michael Wahrlich, Melvin Parun, Peter O'Sullivan, Kenneth Barnard and Liam Hockings died in the devastating blaze that began shortly after midnight on 16 May, 2023.
A 50-year-old man, who has name suppression, was charged with murder and arson. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and is due to stand trial in August.
On Thursday, Wellington police's area investigations manager Detective Senior Sergeant Timothy Leitch said three other people had been charged with manslaughter in relation to the fire.
Michael Wahrlich one of the five people killed in the blaze. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
"Since the tragedy a team of Police have been dedicated to an investigation to establish if the state of the building and the management and compliance of its fire safety systems contributed to the fatal outcome."
The people charged were involved with the management and operation of the building and police allege they were responsible for aspects of the building fire safety, Leitch said.
Those charged are two men aged 75 and 58, and a 70-year-old woman. They appeared in the Wellington District Court on Thursday facing five charges of Manslaughter.
None of the defendants spoke as they appeared individually in the Wellington District Court on Thursday.
The 70-year-old woman sat during her appearance in a purple headscarf, looking pale and gaunt, while lawyers pointed out health concerns.
Judge Hobbs included orders for the trio not to have contact with each other or a fourth individual yet to appear.
Hobbs granted interim name suppression for the defendants.
The defendants offered no plea and Judge Peter Hobbs remanded the trio on bail to appear in the court later in the month.
"Police have spoken to a third man and expect to also charge him with manslaughter in the coming days."
Family hopes Liam's death was not in vain
In a statement, Liam Hockings' family say they're still coming to terms with his death.
"He would have turned 53, just a few days ago. Liam was much loved - an intelligent, caring, and unforgettable character. His absence has left a huge void in our lives and in the wider Newtown community that knew and cherished him."
They said the charges were a step towards accountability, though nothing would bring Liam back.
"This tragedy has highlighted serious concerns about the safety and conditions of some accommodation, particularly for vulnerable people in our communities who are often housed in buildings like this. Everyone deserves a safe place to live - regardless of their circumstances - and we urge all those who own, operate, or manage buildings to take their responsibilities seriously. Buildings must be safe, compliant, well maintained. Lives literally depend on it.
"We hope that, through this process, Liam's death will not have been in vain, and that it may lead to real, lasting change that protects others in the future, so that no other family has to endure what we have."
Wellington's City Missioner Murray Edridge said the charges were a step closer to closure for families and former residents.
However, he said until there was an understanding of what happened and why, it was difficult for people to move on.
Reminder issued
Police, Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment wanted to take the opportunity to remind all those who own or manage a building, particularly buildings with sleeping accommodation, of their responsibility to ensure those who occupy their premises are protected from fire.
This included ensuring their obligations are met under the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Act by having the necessary evacuation procedures in place, and an approved evacuation scheme if you have a "relevant building" and ensuring the means of escape from fire for the building were maintained as outlined in the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Regulations 2018.
"Where applicable, ensure you understand the maintenance requirements for the specified systems outlined in your building's compliance schedule as required under the Building Act. Particularly those relating to the building emergency warning system or fire alarm."
The lodge in 2025. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Owners of a tenanted residential property are also reminded to ensure their fire safety obligations are met under the Residential Tenancies Act.
"The loss of life and injuries experienced during this fire were preventable, and Police would like to acknowledge the long-term impact, on those who lost loved ones, the residents who lost their friends, their home and treasured personal property, as well as the many others that have been affected by the far reaching and devastating event."
Inquiries into fire protections
The fire triggered a series of inquiries into fire protections.
A Wellington City Council audit released in June 2023 found 25 similar buildings to Loafers Lodge in the capital. Twenty-one had a current building warrant of fitness, one never had one and three did, but they were not current.
Following the fire, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) launched a probe into 37 buildings like Loafers Lodge (buildings that were at least three storeys tall, a boarding house and had no sprinklers). It found more than 100 problems, including smoke detectors not working and unmonitored alarm systems.
It also found the boarding houses were on average 60 years old. Most were not built originally to be accommodation and 69 per cent had problems with safety systems.
MBIE's head of building system, delivery and assurance Simon Thomas said in May issues around building warrant of fitness inspections had been resolved as of October last year.
In addition to further guidance on building warrant of fitness compliance, an amendment to the Building Act in November 2024 increased fines and penalties for breaches, he said.
After the probe into boarding houses, the government asked MBIE to do a full review of the building code's fire safety provisions.
At the end of last year, Fire and Emergency (FENZ) said it was unable to release a review into how it responded to the fatal fire while a criminal investigation was under way.
