Police investigate suspicious church fire

A fire which destroyed a rural church southwest of Hamilton today is being treated as suspicious. File photo / NZ Herald

Police are treating as suspicious a fire which destroyed a rural church southwest of Hamilton today - the second church fire in the area in the past few weeks.

The Ngahinapouri church was burning fiercely when firefighters arrived around 4.15am.

Efforts to fight the blaze were hampered by a lack of water, as firefighters had to wait several minutes for a tanker to arrive, once supplies carried on fire trucks were exhausted.

Fire safety officer Kevin Holmes said the blaze was being treated as suspicious.

There were fresh tyre marks on the grass surrounding the church, part of the reason Mr Holmes suspected it may have been deliberately lit.

He would not give further details about his findings at this early stage of the investigation.

A Paterangi church, about 10km away, was also badly damaged by fire a few weeks ago.

That fire was not initially thought to have been suspicious but local resident Brian Marcroft said fire safety officers may have to look at it again.

The church destroyed overnight was built in 1965 and had a concrete block base and steel girders in the roof, which collapsed.

"It is a very sad occasion. I just fail to see how a building like that can just fire up at that time of day,'' Mr Marcroft said.

The church, last used for a service at Easter, was being renovated.

Station officer Bruce McGregor said the roof had collapsed by the time firefighters arrived.

Tankers were called as soon as they knew they were heading to a rural area, he said.

"We were only without water for five or six minutes,'' said Mr McGregor.

A fire also destroyed a service station at Whakamaru, 31km southwest of Tokoroa, early today.

About 50 firefighters were called to the blaze in the Gasoline Alley station about 1.30am, northern fire communications shift supervisor Steve Smith said.

Twelve appliances from Rotorua, Mangakino, Kinloch, Tokoroa and Taupo went.

The fire was contained by about 3.30am, Mr Smith said.

Fire safety officers were investigating.

There were no reports of injuries.

- NZPA