Loafers Lodge firefighter refuses award calling it 'premature and inappropriate'

The firefighter in charge of the Loafers Lodge fire response has refused a citation for his work on the fatal blaze because he is so angry about the lack of equipment crews had to rescue people.

Last month 50-year-old Esarona David Lologa was found guilty of five counts of murder and one count of arson for setting the fire which killed five people in May 2023.

In a letter to Fire and Emergency chief executive Kerry Gregory, senior station officer Clark Townsley said citations offered to himself and other firefighters during Lologa's trial were "premature and inappropriate".

"Although the efforts of crew at the incident deserve acknowledgement, 'celebrating' success during a murder trial isn't in good taste and fails to show the respect that the victims' family and the survivors deserve," Townsley wrote.

Townsley - who is also president of the Wellington branch of the Professional Firefighters' Union - told RNZ that during the fire "tactical options" were limited because Newtown fire station's 32 metre aerial appliance was out of service.

On the night of the blaze the truck had spent just 45 days in operation since July 2020. Another 32 metre aerial appliance was sourced from Thorndon fire station which is on the other side of the city.

Fire crews forced to work around equipment 'shortfalls'

In his letter Townsley said a "stand in" truck - with a 17 metre ladder could only just reach the third floor - limiting crew's ability to control the fire and rescue people on the upper levels of the building.

Townsley said the firefighters who fought the fire had "adapted to ensure that every step possible was taken to save lives on that night".

But Townsley said the situation was leading to a point where no work around or tactic from staff would compensate for the danger posed by FENZ's failure to address the shortfalls in equipment and training.

"Being required to adapt and change in order to suit organisational shortfalls, although worth highlighting, is not something we should be openly celebrating.

"As a front-line officer I will not legitimise the fact that FENZ policy continues to limit the tactical options available to me, and I will not stand by quietly allowing them to be accepted and recognised as the new normal," Townsley wrote.

Townsley 'deeply affected' by evidence at Loafers Lodge murder trial

He said footage shown during Lologa's trial had "deeply affected" him.

"I have seen released footage of trapped people jumping from upper storey windows as - despite all of the efforts of the crew onsite on that day - we simply did not have the aerial appliances available to avoid this scenario.

"Instead, the steps taken by all crew on the day represented an arrangement of current SOP's [Standard Operating Procedure's] and work arounds directly attributable to the lack of resourcing," Townsley wrote.

FENZ defended equipment available to crews fighting the blaze

In the days following the fatal fire FENZ chief executive Kerry Gregory defended the equipment available to firefighters combating the blaze.

"I want to reassure people we had the people and specialist equipment required for the Loafer's Lodge fire," Gregory said.

He said FENZ sent 33 trucks and more than 80 firefighters from all over Wellington to the fire. A command unit, a fire truck with breathing apparatus, urban search and rescue technicians and two ladder appliances were dispatched.

"Newtown's 17 metre ladder truck and pumping truck were both operational at the Newtown fire along with Thorndon's type 5 32 metre aerial appliance," Gregory said.

FENZ 'out of touch' - Union secretary Wattie Watson

New Zealand Professional Firefighters' Union national secretary Wattie Watson said, as the first responding senior station officer, Townsley would have been calculating his options on the way to Loafers Lodge.

Townsley would have been having to consider the dangers of the multi-storey site against the limitations of the equipment available to him, she said.

"He knew what was available and he knew that they did not have the aerial appliance that he should've have been able to rely on.

"It's shocking to think that he had to do that rather than think 'I know that - within minutes - this appliance is going to be there'," Watson said.

Watson said the timing of the citation being issued as firefighters were in the middle of testifying at the trial was "particularly strange".

"It's either ignorance or just shear inability to genuinely consider the impact on people that have been required to appear in a court case. This has been a horrific situation. [The fire fighters] feel very strongly for the families of the deceased, there's some very graphic evidence and FENZ thinks it's appropriate at that time - years down the track - to suddenly offer them a citation. I just find it either really out of touch or just bizarre in the timing," Watson said.

On Wednesday the union announced a one-hour full stoppage strike by paid firefighters to take place on 17 October.

Watson said a part of current negotiations with FENZ would be the inclusion of union representatives in the decision making process around the design and procurement of equipment.

She said the recent delivery of fire trucks that were unable to fit crew's equipment without significant modifications was indicative of FENZ's unwillingness to hear firefighters on what were the right tools for the job.

"The workers are the best people to actually get the job done. [FENZ] clearly cannot do the job themselves. You've got civilians making decisions that are operational decisions.

"The answer's easy. Have the firefighters' union at the table and they will get the job done. They'll look for the best price. They'll look for the best way to get it done but it'll have to be fit for purpose and FENZ just doesn't respect that," Watson said.

More aerial appliances on the way - FENZ

A FENZ spokesperson said 43 individuals or teams were receiving awards "to celebrate the remarkable actions and contributions of individuals, groups, and teams who make a significant difference in our organisation and communities".

"We are disappointed that Clark Townsley decided not to accept the citation offered to him, but we accept his decision. Clark has been the only person to decline the citation," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said there were currently 29 aerial appliances in the national fleet of around 1300 fire trucks - but more were on the way.

"At a cost of $11 million, we have five new replacement aerials on order which will arrive by mid-2026. These trucks will be sent to Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.

"Fire and Emergency's sympathy remains with the people who lost their lives during the Loafers Lodge fatal fire, and with the survivors, their whānau and those who were impacted by it. This includes our people who worked together to perform multiple rescues that evening in severe fire conditions," the spokesperson said.

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