Wellingtonians grieve Loafers Lodge hostel fire dead

The Loafers Lodge was set alight early on Tuesday May 15, causing a frenzied evacuation among residents of the four-storey building.

Survivors told of harrowing experiences as they sought safety, some jumping from the roof or crawling through corridors of thick black smoke.

In an interview with TVN, Loafers Lodge resident Mark Jones said he was still upset when remembering "the screams coming from the third floor people trying to get out".

Five men did not survive: Kenneth Barnard, Liam Hockings, Peter O'Sullivan, Melvin Parun and Mike Wahrlich.

Loafers Lodge offered short-term accommodation but was used mainly as long-term housing for many poorer Wellingtonians, including older single men.

The deadly fire has prompted reflections on the living conditions they experienced, and the poor state of New Zealand's public housing.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau said she still was experiencing "anger and grief" over the fire.

Mr Edridge said on the day of the fire, "Wellington changed forever. Or at least I hope it did."

"I believe we all hold a common culpability for what happened ... for allowing so many of our most vulnerable members of our community to live in these circumstances," he said.

"And a collective responsibility so that it does not happen again."

BBC World presenter Lucy Hockings, the brother of Mr Hockings, read a poem at the service, where residents, police and first responders were in attendance.

A public appeal has raised $NZ372,000 ($A338,000), with Wellington City Mission distributing funds to those rendered homeless and the families of the dead.

Mr Jones, who has benefited from the appeal as he rebuilds his life, thanked Kiwis.

"The level of donations from people in New Zealand has been gratifying ... people have stepped up to help," he said.

On June 1, police charged a 48-year-old man, reported to be a hostel resident, with five charges of murder for allegedly burning down the building.

Initial estimates from police were for a heavier death toll.

The day after the fire, Acting Wellington District Commander Dion Bennett said police believed six had died and his "gut feeling" was that more were likely to have been trapped inside the hostel.