Dozens of people were inside the hostel Loafers Lodge when the fire broke out around 12:30 after midnight.
Eleven people are missing — while other information brings the number of missing persons to thirty.
Prime Minister Anthoni Albanizi, commenting on the incident, spoke of a human tragedy of the highest degree.
In the four-story building of the hostel there was a fire alarm but no sprinklers.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said, the old buildings are not required to install automatic roof fire extinguishers at a later date.
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