WHANGAREI - Authorities suspect arson after fire destroyed parts of a Whangarei high school administration block early yesterday.
The blaze closed the 574-student, suburban Tikipunga High School.
Police and fire staff are investigating the blaze after firefighters were called about 2.30 am.
Chief Fire Officer Bruce Trigg said that despite extensive smoke and
water damage to the school block, it had been an "excellent save."
"It was quite hard to find the actual seat of the fire because of all the smoke in the building," he said.
"Virtually all the internal doors were closed, which helped stem the fire, so we had to go around feeling each door before we opened them."
Mr Trigg said having the doors closed had helped to starve the fire of oxygen, but had also slowed efforts to find its base.
It was thought the fire started in the staff common room, at the rear of the administration block, though investigators were also considering the possibility of two fires being started simultaneously.
The sick bay was also extensively damaged and was possibly the scene of a second fire.
Thirty-five firefighters from Kamo and Whangarei attended the blaze.
Principal Rehi Rihari said she could not say how long the school would remain closed until after she had talked to police and fire investigators.
Mr Trigg said a burst water pipe above the staff common room, which had contained mostly paperwork, had helped to quell the flames.
Firefighters initially thought it was a sprinkler.
Actual fire damage was confined to a relatively small area, but extensive damage had been done by water and smoke to the entire office block, leaving sodden carpets and smoke-blackened walls.
- NZPA
