Hokitika building fire at former Seaview Hospital: Witness describes ‘huge’ blaze

Fire crews battled a large building fire at a building on the site of the old Seaview Hospital and asylum, near Hokitika, on the South Island’s West Coast.

Multiple 111 calls alerted Fire and Emergency New Zealand to the blaze at the Seaview Terraces just after 7am.

A resident who filmed the blaze said it could be seen right around Hokitika and the surrounding area.

“It was huge,” the man told the Herald.

There were seven trucks, two water tankers, one civilian water tanker, and several support vehicles at the scene.

‘Imagine a stay at Dracula’s Castle’

The old Seaview Hospital dates back to the 1870s and cared for more than 500 patients at its peak.

A resident who filmed the blaze said it could be seen right around Hokitika and the surrounding area. Photo / Jason Boult

A nurse’s home was built on the site in 1939 and 1940 to assist in the recruitment and retention of staff.

While it closed its doors in 2009, some of its buildings later became accommodation described as the area’s “spookiest backpackers”.

Visitor reviews describe it as “a very strange place” and “full of character”.

“Staying at Seaview is a lot like I imagine a stay at Dracula’s Castle would be,” one review wrote.

Multiple 111 calls alerted Fire and Emergency New Zealand to the blaze at the Seaview Terraces just after 7am. Photo / Jason Boult

“You feel you’re stepping back in time in a good way,” another review wrote.

“The site used to be a prison and a mental institution in the past; both systems have left their mark.”

Others commented on the enticing eeriness of Seaview.

“It is a real curiosity to look round and find ward beds set up, individual and shared facilities, and other quirky places.”

“We were in a camper van parked outside on the lawn – however, I am not sure I would have liked to have slept inside the building as it was a bit spooky.”