Pihama Hall blaze: Eight South Taranaki fire crews battle major blaze

Multiple South Taranaki fire crews battled a fire at Pihama Hall overnight.

The fire was reported to Fire and Emergency New Zealand about 10.20pm yesterday.

Crews from Ōpunake, Manaia, Kaponga, Hāwera, Stratford, Kohi, Rahotu and New Plymouth attended.

Central shift manager Shannon Lucas said crews arrived to find the 125-year-old hall “fully involved in a fire”.

“It was escalated to a third alarm level,” she said.

The fire was put out and crews left the scene around 1.30am, Lucas said.

It took seven fire engines, two tankers and three specialist trucks to fully put out the fire.

It is the second South Taranaki community hall to catch fire within 24 hours, after the Manutahi Hall on Monday morning.

Lucas said there was no indication that a fire investigator was responding to the fire.

Pihama resident Mel Lyn Payne said she heard a loud explosion as her power was flickering on and off because of bad weather.

“It sounded a bit like a power transmitter blowing up. I ran outside to see the Pihama Hall roof was on fire ... the flames were moving through the whole hall roof really fast,” Payne said.

Payne said it was devastating for residents to witness the hall burn down.

“It was a very sad night for the Pihama community as this was such a loved hall that was cherished by the whole community,” she said.

“I am still in shock that this happened last night - it was definitely the most scary thing I’ve ever witnessed.”

Fin Ocheduszko Brown is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.