Police have abandoned all hope of finding survivors at the collapsed Canterbury TV building in central Christchurch.
Inspector Dave Lawry said he was "100 per cent" certain those trapped in the building, including a non-sworn police staff member and a group of overseas students, were dead.
All emergency personnel have been moved away from the building because of danger the unstable Grand Chancellor Hotel would collapse onto it, he said.
He felt particularly sorry for the family of what is believed to be a group of Japanese students who died inside.
"At a certain point I'm not going to risk my staff for people where I believe there is no chance of survivability."
Fires burned in the CTV building overnight and no signs of life have been detected there by cameras or listening devices.
Christchurch area commander Dave Cliff said the loss of a staff member in the building was painful.
It meant police could relate to the loss and desperation being suffered by family with loved ones still trapped, he said.
Nancy Wu, whose husband Paul Wu is among the missing in the CTV building, said news that search and rescue workers were putting efforts at the site on hold was "devastating".
"But hopefully they will return and not give up because people can still be alive for many hours. We are not giving up hope."
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