A man has been arrested after two suspicious fires in Newmarket and Epsom. Photo / NZHerald
A man has been arrested after two suspicious fires in Newmarket and Epsom. Photo / NZHerald
A fire at one of New Zealand’s best known baby boutiques has devastated the general manager and caused about $200k in damage.
A man is facing two charges of arson after two Auckland businesses only 1.3km apart were damaged by fire on Sunday morning.
Dimples Newmarket general manager DonnaGillespie discovered the store was in flames when she awoke to a call from an alarm company.
By the time she got to the business, there were already seven fire trucks fighting the blaze. All of the stock in the store has been smoke-damaged and was unsellable.
“I think [the damage] is going to sit around the $200k mark,” she said.
Interior damage to the Dimples Newmarket store. Photo / Jaime Lyth
While the fire didn’t spread far, smoke damage was widespread across the ceilings and the products.
“We built in 2019, and I’ve been working for Dimples for 13 or 14 years now. I designed the layout of the store and project-managed the build and everything.
“Then you’ve got the staff who put a lot of time and effort into making this place pretty all the time.”
Gillespie said the Dimples Christchurch business and website were still open for business.
Dimples is a New Zealand-owned business, established in 1992.
The interior fire damage to the Dimples Newmarket store was contained, but smoke damage was extensive. Photo / Jaime Lyth
On Facebook, the business thanked its customers for their post-fire support.
“Thankfully, no one was hurt, but we’re still coming to terms with the shock and sadness of it all.
“Thank you for your understanding and support during this time. It truly means the world to us.”
An arrest has been made after a suspicious fire at Dimples on Kent St, Newmarket. Photo / NZ Herald
Police were notified of the Kent St fire about 6.10am.
Police soon established it was related to another fire earlier in the morning at a Manukau Rd business in neighbouring Epsom.
Interior damage to the Dimples Newmarket store. Photo / Jaime Lyth
The first fire was at National Mini Storage, Manukau Rd.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said it attended both incidents, the first where six trucks tackled a fire on a building’s ground floor after a 5.26am call.
Seven trucks attended the Dimples fire.
Police said no injuries were reported, and a 36-year-old man was arrested a short time later.
The man will appear in Auckland District Court on two charges of arson.
Investigations are under way after a suspicious fire at National Mini Storage on Manukau Rd in Epsom. Photo / NZHerald
Newmarket Business Association chief executive Mark Knoff-Thomas said fire damage to Dimples appeared to be well contained.
