DAMAGE: Fire investigator Terry Baylis (left) and Kaitaia's deputy chief fire officer, Craig Rogers, survey the exterior damage done by yesterday morning's fire.PHOTO/PETER JACKSON
DAMAGE: Fire investigator Terry Baylis (left) and Kaitaia's deputy chief fire officer, Craig Rogers, survey the exterior damage done by yesterday morning's fire.PHOTO/PETER JACKSON
The Kaitaia Fire Brigade responded to a fire at the Kaitaia Union Church in record time yesterday morning and so prevented a potentially major blaze.
The fire had clearly been lit in the small porch leading to the op shop off Te Reinga St, the flames charring the timber andmelting plastic spouting, and getting into the shop itself.
By the time the first appliance arrived, an interior wall was burning, but op shop secretary Dave McGregor said most of the damage to stock, mainly clothing, had been done by smoke.
Mr McGregor, his wife (also the church secretary) and others could not begin cleaning up until fire investigator Terry Baylis had completed his examination, but Mr Bayliss had no doubt that the fire had been deliberately lit. And it could have been calamitous.
Erected in 1924, the church's timber was very dry, probably heart kauri, without insulation.
"If the flames had got into the wall cavities, it would have been party time. And if it had got into the ceiling cavity it would have been rampant, a very fast-developing fire," he said.
"If they didn't have a monitored alarm system, the whole place could have gone up."
The alarm was raised shortly after 5.30am. The first appliance left the station, less than 200m away, within about three minutes. One of the crew said he and others had been at a nearby gym, so did not take as long as usual to get to the station.
