JW New Zealand:Suspicious spate of early-morning fires in Christchurch thought to be linked

Isabella · October 12, 2020

A spate of suspicious fires within three hours in Christchurch overnight appear to be linked, police say.

About 3am on Monday, firefighters received multiple calls about a large blaze at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, in Waitikiri Drive, Parklands.

A spokesman said the building had not been used for congregations since March due to Covid-19, with meetings held online.

“The building was well alight when we arrived. It’s a decent-sized building,” she said.

“It has since been extinguished. It’s considered possibly suspicious and is being investigated.”

Half an hour later, the alarm was raised at Christchurch Transitional Cathedral, in Hereford St, about a small fire in a back room.

The blaze had gone out when fire crews arrived.

Fire crews tackled a large blaze at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Waitikiri Drive, Parklands.

Isabella · October 13, 2020

Firefighters were called to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Burwood just after 3am. The building was well-ablaze.

Meanwhile, other fire crews were called to a small fire in a back room at that Cardboard Cathedral.

Firefighters attended just after 3.30am and the blaze was extinguished quickly.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson said it was unusual to have two church fires within half an hour of one another.

A fire investigator will attend both scenes and police has been notified.

In a statement, police told 1 NEWS they there was another fire at Beach Road Cafe in New Brighton early this morning.

Jehovah’s Witnesses