Bread delivery man saves marae from arson attack

The quick actions of a bread delivery man with a rubbish bin full of water are likely to have saved a Masterton marae building from an arson attack early today.

Masterton fire service duty officer Doug Flowerday said the delivery man spotted the fire at the Ucol campus marae in Chapel St about 3.30am.

"He found a rubbish bin nearby and filled it with water and basically put it out. It was at the stage where it could have spread very quickly.

"It was an obvious arson attempt on the marae building."

When the man arrived, the fire had reached the ceiling.

"If things had been a bit different they could have lost the whole building," Mr Flowerday said.

The damage was limited to the foyer and some smoke damage. The fire, which had been burning for some time, had spread slowly because of the type of boards used, he said.

Police and fire service enquires were continuing.

It is the second arson attack in five days in Masterton after diesel was used to set fire to towels on a clothesline at Wairarapa College on Saturday.

- WAIRARAPA TIMES-AGE (MASTERTON)