19 May

Inspector Dion Bennett, Acting Wellington District Commander:

Police can confirm that four victims have now been recovered from Loafers
Lodge in Newtown.

Two were recovered today, in addition to the two recovered yesterday.

A fifth has been located and is yet to be recovered.

I want to acknowledge the difficult conditions our staff, FENZ colleagues,
and supporting agencies are working in at the scene.

The work they’ve done to date is impressive and we are thankful for their
efforts.

We know how important it is to locate everyone and reunite them with loved
ones.

The scene examination is ongoing and is expected to extend into next week.

The investigation team has moved swiftly and it’s not by chance that we now
have a man remanded in custody for arson.

We cannot rule out further, more serious charges.

The arrested man is due to reappear in Wellington District Court on June 19.

Police have now accounted for 99 people who were in the building.

The number of those unaccounted for is fewer than 10.

Until we have fully examined all parts of the building, we remain reluctant
to confirm specific numbers of deceased and unaccounted for.

Police want to advise those who require help, or those who want to offer
assistance, to get in touch with the Wellington City Council’s contact
centre, which is 24/7.

The current traffic management plan will remain in place for the foreseeable
future, and we thank those businesses and residents who have been affected by
this.

A cordon will remain around Loafers Lodge into next week.

Police’s position around whether residents will be able to retrieve their
property remains the same – that at this stage, it remains unsafe to do so.

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