Christchurch fires: Four suspicious blazes in Shirley, Irish pub extensively damaged

Police are investigating four suspicious fires in the Christchurch suburb of Shirley, including one which has extensively damaged an Irish pub.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) shift manager Alex Norris said crews were called to the blaze at O’Shea’s Pub, on Marshland Rd, at 10.45pm.

“We responded with two fire trucks initially, one from Christchurch and one from Anzac.

Fire and Emergency were called to the blaze at O’Shea’s Pub, on Marshland Road, at about 10.45pm. Photo / George Heard

“Police arrived on scene and advised that the building was well ablaze and so we responded with a further fire truck from Redwood.”

When fire crews arrived at the scene of the pub they noticed that a wood pile was on fire at the rear of the building and it was spreading toward the building.

Photos from the scene show a large orange flame rising from the outdoor area at the back of O’Shea’s Pub with smoke billowing into the night sky.

Photos from the scene show a large orange flame rising from the outdoor area at the back of O’Shea’s Pub with smoke billowing into the night sky. Photo / George Heard

Norris said crews left the scene of the pub fire just after midnight.

Meanwhile, there were three other fires in Shirley which were reported an hour either side of the pub blaze and all of them are being treated as suspicious.

Norris said the three other fires were vegetation fires and one was started on a school grounds.

He confirmed crews responded at 8.45pm to a bush fire in a school grounds on Quinns Rd, Shirley.

A police spokesperson said: We’re making inquiries into at least two fires on Marshland Road last night.

“Scene guards were put in place for the night and officers will be undertaking further inquiries today.”