Crown says deadly failures contributed to Wellington’s worst boarding house tragedy, while defence argues the true culprit was the convicted arsonist who lit the fatal fire.
Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.com
The long-awaited trial over the deadly 2023 Loafers Lodge fire has begun in the High Court at Wellington, with four people facing manslaughter charges over the operation and maintenance of the boarding house where five residents lost their lives.
The eight-week trial centres on the devastating fire deliberately lit by arsonist Esarona Lologa on May 16, 2023. Nearly 100 residents were inside the Adelaide Road accommodation block when flames rapidly spread through the building.
Five men, Michael Wahrlich, Melvin Parun, Peter O’Sullivan, Kenneth Barnard, and Liam Hockings, died in the blaze.
Although Lologa was convicted of murder and arson and sentenced to life imprisonment last year, prosecutors now argue that serious failures by those responsible for the building’s management also contributed to the tragedy.
The defendants, lodge director Gregory Mein, part-time manager Marie Murphy, tenant and volunteer caretaker Glenn McAllister, and resident Barry Collins, each face multiple manslaughter charges.
Prosecutor Stephanie Bishop told the court that Mein neglected his responsibilities by placing undue trust in fire safety systems and assuming they were being properly maintained.
However, defence lawyers strongly dispute the allegations.
Counsel for Mein argued the building had recently received a fire safety warrant of fitness approved by Wellington City Council and said any long-standing failures rested with agencies responsible for ensuring compliance and public safety.
Lawyers for the other defendants described them as ordinary people caught up in an extraordinary tragedy. McAllister and Collins were both tenants, with Collins allegedly turning off an alarm during the night because false alarms had become commonplace. McAllister was the person who made the emergency 111 call reporting severe smoke in the building.
The court also heard that Loafers Lodge was often a last-resort accommodation option for people struggling with homelessness, addiction, mental health issues, or other challenges.
Jurors are expected to hear evidence from almost 50 witnesses, including emergency responders, residents, council officials and fire safety experts.
The trial is expected to examine whether those responsible for the building failed in their legal duties, or whether the catastrophic loss of life was solely the result of the deliberate actions of a convicted arsonist.
