At least six people died in a fire at a hotel in central Wellington on Tuesday morning, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said. There are also 11 reported missing.

Mr. Hipkins spoke of an “absolute tragedy”, expressing his fear that the death toll would increase even more.

The fire department reported 52 survivors, some of whom took refuge on the roof of the hotel.

“There are people we don’t know about yet, but their number, like the death toll, cannot be confirmed at this time,” the Oceanian fire service said.

Mr. Hipkins stressed on a national television morning broadcast that police had warned him that the death toll could top ten.

Police said they would not release more information until the 92-room high-rise hotel was secure, adding that there was a risk of the roof collapsing.

The fire broke out on the top floor of the Loafer Lodge hotel in the Newtown area of ​​Wellington just after midnight. [τοπική ώρα]. The reasons remain unknown at this stage.

Fire Chief Nick Pyatt called it a “tragic event” and offered “sincere condolences” to the families of the victims, calling it “a once-in-a-decade fire” and our “worst nightmare”.

Source: APE-MPE, Reuters, The New York Times.