New Zealand police suspect arson caused hostel fire that killed six

FILE PHOTO: Fire and emergency crews work at the scene of a fire at the Loafers Lodge, in Wellington, New Zealand May 16, 2023. REUTERS/Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand police said on Wednesday a fire at a hostel in the capital, Wellington, in which at least six people were killed was suspected to have been arson and they had opened a homicide inquiry.

A blaze broke out on the top floor of the Loafers Lodge in the suburb of Newtown in the early hours of Tuesday, causing major structural damage that is hampering recovery efforts.