Hostel fire now subject of major homicide inquiry

A major homicide inquiry is under way into the fatal inferno at a Wellington hostel that killed at least six people.

Fewer than 20 people remain unaccounted for, police say, after a fire ripped through the Loafers Lodge hostel in Newtown overnight Tuesday.

On Wednesday afternoon, Acting District Commander Dion Bennett said a homicide inquiry was under way and the fire was being treated as arson.

Police had a "large number" of officers working on the investigation, he said, "with the aim of providing a swift and timely outcome and the answers that we all need".

Bennett confirmed police had a "list of people" being treated as persons of interest to the investigation who police wanted to speak to. He declined to say how many were on that list, and whether any were residents. No arrests had been made.

He declined to say why the fire was being treated as an arson, or whether accelerant was part of the cause of the fire.

Asked if it was likely more bodies would be found he said his "gut feeling" was the numbers might climb.

"However, without that confirmation from the examination, it would be irresponsible of me to say that."

Bennett also confirmed there was a couch fire at Loafers Lodge at about 10.30pm on Monday, prior to the fatal fire which occurred around two hours later.

The couch fire was not reported to emergency services at the time.

As part of police inquiries, officers would be trying to confirm any link between the couch fire and the subsequent fatal fire.

An investigation team had entered the lodge and would be conducting an initial reconnaissance of the building to develop plans for a more extensive search by specialist staff which they expect to start today.

"The scene examination will be extensive and methodical and we expect it to take some time, likely several days, given the large size of the building," Bennett said.

As well as the scene examination, officers would be working to locate and recover those who had died.

So far 92 people were accounted for.

"We know there are many people waiting for news of family and friends including residents who escaped the fire and who are keenly waiting for news of their fellow tenants."

Confirming identities would be a "slow process", he said.

Members of the investigation team were also "searching through and looking for our suspects".

Asked if he had an appeal to make to those responsible for the fire, Bennett asked anyone with information that would assist the inquiry to contact police or make themselves known to the support agencies who could forward them to police.

Bennett said he had seen some photos from inside the building and the damage was "extensive".

"In some of the floors, and in the third floor in particular, the roof has collapsed and in places on the floor a pile of debris and burnt debris is stacked as high as one metre."

The work police were undertaking inside the building was "grim", but welfare support processes were in place.