Police investigating suspicious fire at Karori storage building appeal for information

Emergency services were called to the scene on Donald St at 5pm on Tuesday. Photo / Michael Craig

A witness has reported seeing three teens in school uniforms leaving the scene of a suspicious fire at a storage building in Wellington at the time the blaze broke out.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Donald St at 5pm on Tuesday. No one was injured.

“A witness reported they saw three males in their mid-teens wearing unidentified school uniform, leaving the scene just prior to emergency service arrival,” police said in a statement today.

Police are seeking CCTV footage from residents or business owners in the area, particularly those on Campbell, Cargill and Lewer Sts.

Anyone with footage that may be of assistance or knows who the young men are can contact police on 105 and reference file number: 231024/0298.

In an unrelated matter, Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Leitch confirmed yesterday police had found four youths aged between 13 and 14 they had previously appealed for in relation to the Toomath’s Building fire in central Wellington.

The youths had spoken with police and were understood to have been inside the building at the time the fire started, Leitch said.

“All four will be referred to youth services for unlawfully being in the building.

“One of the young people has also been referred for setting fire to items which subsequently caused the building fire. Police are not able to provide any further comment at this time.”

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.