A freak wind gust has destroyed the Beehive building in Wellington, and dozens are feared dead.

Rescue workers have been frantically pulling people from the rubble of the Beehive building in Wellington today, after a sudden wind gust ripped through the building, tearing it to pieces in seconds.

The death toll is not yet known, but at least twenty bodies have been pulled from the building so far.

It is not known what caused the sudden gust, but one parliamentary worker who escaped the wreckage reported hearing a deafening explosion.

“I was near the shredder feeding it credit card expense information, when someone I work with yelled out that Sean Plunket had just resigned from Morning Report.

“Just then all the windows exploded and I was thrown to the ground. It was like a bomb had gone off inside the building.”

Unusually, the gust appeared to emanate from inside the building.

Met Service spokesperson Hans McBabbage said this sort of meteorological phenomenon was rare.

“These events usually occurs when an enormous mass of people spontaneously and simultaneously exhale. Imagine, for example, that you’d just heard your worst enemy in the world had been defeated, or had given up his relentless mission to expose your ongoing campaign of deception and lies. Your sigh of relief would be audible to anyone within a ten metre radius. “

“Now imagine if all the politicians and bureaucrats in Wellington heard the news at the same time. Can you imagine the carnage?”

Update 11.18am: Prime Minister John Key has been pulled from the building. Reports indicate he escaped the sudden gust by sheltering behind Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Update 12:47pm: Act Party leader Rodney Hide has been interviewed by TVNZ and has condemned the tragic waste of life, which he says is an indictment on big government.

Update 2:01pm: Grave fears are held for the safety of Murray McCully. The Foreign Minister was last seen outside the Prime Minister’s office moments before the incident, placing a golden ring on one of his fingers.

Update: 3.46pm: Chris Carter has been pulled from the rubble alive. Labour leadership said to be deeply disappointed.