Gisborne’s main street hit by three deliberate palm tree fires in one night

The damage and blackening to the trunk of one of three palm trees set on fire in Gladstone Rd on Tuesday night. Photo / Murray Robertson

Firefighters were called to the main street in Gisborne three times on Tuesday night to put out burning palm trees.

The first call came in about 10.30pm to a palm on fire in Gladstone Rd between Bright St and Grey St.

“Half an hour later, we got a second call to around the same location to another tree on fire, then shortly after a third call of the same nature in the same area of the main street,” a senior firefighter said.

Three palms in the main street between Bright and Grey Streets were set alight and police have reviewed CCTV footage to try to catch the culprits. Photo / Murray Robertson

“We got there before the fires could travel too far up the palm tree trunks.

“All three fires were caught in the early stages.”

The firefighter said the fires were deliberately lit.

Police have been advised and were using CCTV footage to investigate.