Fifth body found in burnt out NZ hostel, man appears in court on arson charges

FILE PHOTO: The exterior of a hostel, after a fire ripped through the building, resulting in a number of deaths, in Wellington, New Zealand May, 16, 2023. AAP Image/Ben McKay via REUTERS

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A 48-year-old homeless man appeared in New Zealand court on Friday on two charges of arson as police found a fifth body in the burnt out remains of a hostel in the capital Wellington.

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.