Man charged with arson after fire destroys St Mary’s Catholic Church in Avondale, Auckland

Police have charged a man with arson after a fire destroyed a historic Auckland church.

Emergency services responded to St Mary’s Church on Great North Rd in the suburb of Avondale shortly after 4am on July 14.

Auckland City Crime Squad Detective Senior Sergeant Rebecca Kirk said police had been working hard to identify the person responsible.

“Officers arrested a 42-year-old man at a New Lynn property last night.

“He has been charged with one count of arson and will appear in Auckland District Court today.

“This is a great result and I would like to acknowledge the assistance received by police from members of the public.”

The aftermath of the blaze at St Mary’s Catholic Church on Great North Rd in Avondale. Photo / Michael Craig.

Police previously released images of a man they believed was connected to the fire.

The man was wearing a black beanie and a dark long-sleeve jumper with distinctive orange patterns on it.

Father Andrew Matthew said he awoke at 4am to the sound of the windows popping.

“When I looked out the window, all I could see was a sea of red flames. It’s a real shock,” he said.

Matthew rang 111 as he walked out into the church carpark.

“Our poor church was on fire. All I could do was watch and pray.”

Eight fire trucks were sent to the scene at the fire's peak. Photo / Michael Craig

Even at that stage, Matthew could see the church was lost.

Parishioners hugged and cried in front of the smouldering wreckage in the late morning.

Auckland Catholic Diocese general manager James van Schie, who was also at the church in the hours after the fire, said the parish was established in 1921 and the church was built in the late 1950s.

“For over 100 years, it’s been a vital part of the fabric of the Avondale community,” he said.

“There are so many Aucklanders who trace their family history here; baptisms, funerals, weddings. It is a vibrant parish.”

Fire and Emergency Assistant Commander Phil Larcomb said they were called to Great North Rd just after 4am, where the brick St Mary’s Catholic Church, in front of St Mary’s School, was on fire and had been “severely damaged”.

At the fire’s peak, eight fire trucks were on the scene.