'I'm dead': Resident's frantic call in deadly Loafers Lodge blaze

Warning: This story contains content some may find disturbing.

A jury has heard a distressing 111 call made by a Loafers Lodge resident who at one point murmured to the call taker: "I'm dead."

That man was Toetu Tui Saili, who had his head down and resting on the witness box while the recording was played at the High Court in Wellington before Justice Churchman excused him because he was clearly upset.

More residents gave their harrowing testimonies during the trial of a man who has denied murdering five people by setting the Wellington boarding hostel alight on 16 May, 2023.

Saili was one of a handful of residents who called emergency services during the fatal fire from his smoke-filled room on the fourth floor mezzanine.

During the half-hour recording, he repeated over and over: "Help, please help me, I can't breathe," and "get me outta here".

He became more urgent and panicked, and he was yelling, before his voice quietened.

"I'm dead," he said.

"You're not, okay, you're still with me, we're still talking to you, okay?" the call taker replied.

"I'm dead," Saili repeated, quieter again.

"No you're not, you're still with us, you're going to be alright Tui, we're going to get to you shortly, okay?" said the call taker.

Saili was heard desperately trying to get the attention of emergency services, making loud banging noises.

For a time, there was silence.

"Tui, can you hear me?" the call taker repeatedly asked. "Tui?"

Shortly after, he told the call taker he had made it onto the roof, from which he was rescued.

The court was shown a photo of a burn on the back of his neck, which he sustained during his escape.

Residents forced to save own lives, leave their mates

Other residents spoke of their despair at having to save their own lives, leaving their friends and neighbours behind.

JJ Pickering ran to get a fire hose when he saw how bad the smoke was on the third floor.

"I just go down on my knee, because it was thick, black smoke. covered my nose and aimed the fire hose towards where I could see flickers of flame coming from."

"What effect was that having?" asked Crown lawyer Grant Burston.

"No effect," Pickering said.

He stayed there for a few minutes until another resident, 'LG', told him to give up and get out, because it was a "losing battle".

"I was going to run upstairs to the mezzanine but LG goes, 'no bro' ... because I knew old people stayed up there," said Pickering.

Raymond Lauder faced a similar predicament.

"I was umming and ahhing what to do, you know, I wanted to get upstairs and tell my mates but at the same time I had to guard my life."

Survivors remain traumatised

Residents used vivid language to describe the fire they had escaped.

"Something I never want to see again in my life" said Gordon Fisher. "Absolutely f****** evil."

"A beast ... something that wanted to kill," said Hemi Lewis.

Lewis also said he had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following the blaze.

"It's been horrific."

When he awoke and opened his door to the smoke that night, he was gasping for air, and it was like he was dreaming.

Afterwards, he avoided sleep because of "the nightmares that followed".

"I used to stay awake for as long as I could ... six, seven days, until I just hit the floor because I didn't want to have a nightmare of that fire ... it was just entrenched in me."

He had pneumonia before the blaze, and said the fire had put "a ticking clock" on his life, he said.

On Friday, more residents are expected to give their accounts of the fire which the Crown says the defendant deliberately lit, knowing it could kill.

His lawyers intend to argue insanity.

Where to get help:

• Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
• Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202.
• Samaritans: 0800 726 666.
• Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz.
• What's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds.
• Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English.
• Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254.
• Healthline: 0800 611 116.
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155.
• OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.

If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

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