It's been one year since the fatal Loafers Lodge fire in Wellington but some say we haven't done enough to stop something similar happening again.
Five people were killed when a blaze destroyed the four-storey accomodation block.
The anniversary was marked with a karakia before dawn. Families, friends, survivors and supporters all gathered to remember the five people who died.
It was before dawn a year ago when residents scrambled to escape the burning building and fire crews worked for hours to put the blaze out.
The pain of that day is still keenly felt by those who lived at Loafers..
"It's still there," says John Slade.
"It's still in my memory... it's just hard to express what actually happened in there and some people don't know and some people do. That will stay with me forever."
The man charged with murder over the five deaths has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
His name is suppressed and will remain so until the trial, set down for August.
Michael Wahrlich, Melvin Parun, Peter O'Sullivan, Kenneth Barnard and Liam Hockings all died in the fire.
Their families planted a kowhai tree to honour them and the council unveiled a plaque too.
"You can still feel the deep emotion that people still feel about what happened a year ago," Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau said.
A Wellington City Council audit last year found similar places needed their building warrant of fitness checked or updated and Cabinet introduced tougher penalties for owners who failed to supply one.
But Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge says we haven't done enough.
"No, we haven't and I'm still hoping we will, because I'm hoping the lessons that should've been learned on 16 May 2023 are not lost," he said.
A Fire and Emergency (FENZ) review into the tragedy is yet to be released and a review of the building code's fire provisions is still underway
Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says it's a priority, but potential changes might come as late as next year.
"We're balancing the fact that we need to move as quickly as possible to minimise the chances there will be a repeat incident of this nature, but at the same time the detail is important," Minister Penk said.
