Arrest made after aircon units bound for Wellington Hospital damaged in suspicious fire

Wellington Regional Hospital. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Police have arrested a woman after two air conditioning units bound for Wellington Hospital to increase capacity for Covid-19 patients were damaged in a suspicious fire.

A police spokesperson said a 22-year-old woman has been arrested on an arson charge.

She is due to appear before Levin District Court today.

Police were advised shortly before midnight on Sunday of a truck-and-trailer fire in Ōtaki.

The truck was parked at a property on State Highway 1.

Capital & Coast DHB chief financial officer Rosalie Percival said two units were affected by the incident and needed to be repaired.

The two affected units would have increased Wellington Regional Hospital's negative pressure capacity by about 16 beds.

Currently there are 22 negative pressure rooms across the hospital as well as several clinical spaces that can be used to ease pressure on these rooms, Percival said.

"The units were insured, and are expected to be in place at the hospital by the end of this week."

Negative pressure rooms use lower air pressure to prevent internal air from reaching other patient areas and common spaces in a hospital, allowing patients with infectious conditions to be isolated.