Manslaughter trial begins for Loafers Lodge fire safety failings

The trial of four individuals accused of manslaughter following the 2023 Loafers Lodge fire has commenced in the Wellington High Court. The defendants, including director Gregory Bruce Mein, property manager Marie Louise Murphy, fire warden Glenn Brendan McAllister, and resident Barry Charles Collins, have all pleaded not guilty. Each faces charges of manslaughter by gross negligence or alternative charges of manslaughter via breaches of health and safety.

The Crown alleges that the five deaths were avoidable if the building's fire safety systems had functioned correctly. Prosecutors claim that a previous fire earlier that night had caused the alarm to be silenced and not reset, meaning a second fire lit by Esarona Lologa at 12:12am did not trigger the alarm on the third floor. This delay meant the fire grew for 13 minutes before the alarm activated, and even then, it only sounded on the lower floors.

Defence lawyers have argued that the responsibility for the tragedy lies with the arsonist, Esarona Lologa, who was previously convicted of murder and arson. They also contended that the deaths were linked to longstanding failings by safety agencies and that the building had recently received a warrant of fitness from the Wellington City Council.

The trial is expected to last eight weeks and involves approximately 120 witnesses. The prosecution intends to present evidence regarding the management of the fire system, including claims that residents were permitted to silence and reset alarms to save costs.

How it developed

• Tue 6 Oct, 6:54pmDefence counsel argued that the building had a recent fire safety warrant of fitness signed by the council.
• Tue 6 Oct, 7:21pmThe first witness, Detective Sergeant Olivia Meares, provided evidence regarding the building's layout and CCTV system.

Where reports differ

• Reports vary on the specific number of charges faced by the defendants, citing either five or ten charges of manslaughter.

Compiled from reports by NZ Herald, 1News, Stuff and RNZ.