Police: Suspicious fires not linked

File photo / The Aucklander

Police are not linking suspicious fires at Wellington, Petone and Levin in the past two nights amid concerns that a copycat arsonist might be on the loose.

A scene guard was in place this morning after a suspicious fire tore through a two-storey block at the old Petone Memorial Technical College in Lower Hutt last night.

Forty firefighters battled the blaze at the college which has been empty for 13 years. A block of classrooms was so badly damaged it would have to be demolished.

That fire started just before 5pm and a building at the disused Ohau School, south of Levin, was destroyed in a fire that was reported just after 11pm. The source of that fire is being investigated.

The school fires follow two suspicious blazes at the Basin Reserve cricket ground on Thursday night. They were quickly extinguished before they could cause major damage.

The fires led investigators to believe a copycat arsonist might be at large after a series of building fires in the region over Queen's Birthday weekend, which resulted in the arrest of a 43-year-old man.

Acting Detective Mike Eckersley of Lower Hutt police told NZPA today he did not believe the Petone college fire was linked with the Ohau School or Basin Reserve fires.

"They all were fires, that's all they have in common at this stage."

Police and fire safety officers were still investigating the college grounds this morning and police would only decide what to do next once that was completed.

No witnesses had yet come forward, but police were still to speak to those in the neighbourhood.

While hoses were being played on the big fire a second blaze broke out in an adjoining block but was extinguished before it could gain a hold.

Mr Eckersley said it was too early to confirm it was started at the same time.

The scene was far too chaotic with a burning building, smoke and people rushing about to use a dog team and track any potential fire lighter, he said.

Vagrants often hung around the college grounds which were easy to access and there had been at least five separate arsons at the school in recent years, he said.

"Clearly something needs to be done with the buildings, the responsibility lies with somebody who needs to make them secure."

Fire Service central communications shift manager Murray Dunbar said there was a chance the fires were linked but they were probably coincidental.

"Sometimes you get a spate of fires," he said. "It's been a busy couple of weekends."

There would be no special preparations for tonight, the Fire Service always had a "standing army" ready, but firefighters would be quick to alert police if more suspicious fires broke out, he said.

- NZPA