AUCKLAND, New Zealand — The New Zealand national women’s soccer team is safe and accounted for after they had to be temporarily evacuated from their hotel Saturday night due to a fire.
In a statement given to New Zealand outlet 1News, New Zealand Football said it “can confirm that the Football Ferns team and staff have been temporarily evacuated from the Pullman Hotel, their team base for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, due to a fire.
“All of the team and staff are safe and accounted for.”
A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesperson confirmed to ESPN that at around 8 p.m. on Saturday, emergency crews, including eight trucks, were called to the Pullman Hotel due to a fire alarm being triggered, forcing guests to be evacuated. The fire has been extinguished, and control of the hotel has been returned to the hotel staff.
The spokesperson added that the cause of the fire is being investigated, with New Zealand police taking the lead, and Fire and Emergency NZ assisting. A New Zealand Police spokesperson said they were working to provide an update.
A spokesperson for the Hato Hone St. John ambulance service confirmed to ESPN that two ambulances were sent to the scene and four people were treated for smoke inhalation, but didn’t require transportation to a hospital as they were in “moderate condition.”
Eight teams are currently staying in Auckland during the tournament: New Zealand, USA, Vietnam, Argentina, Norway, Philippines, Portugal and Italy.
