Easter arsonist tries to raze church

SMOKE DAMAGE: Mike Latter, property manager of St Columba's Church, said a clean-up ensured the Good Friday service started on time despite the fire. PHOTOS/WARREN BUCKLAND

A Good Friday service went ahead at a Taradale church yesterday despite an arsonist's attempt to burn the building down early yesterday morning.

The fire at St Columba's Church in Gloucester St, thought by police and firemen to have "smouldered" in a doorway for hours before being discovered by a passerby about 7am, caused mainly smoke damage and left a layer of sooty dust across the pews in the 200-seat church.

Board member Mike Latter said the firefighters brought in a fan to ventilate the building and wiped the seating clean, meaning the service could start on time at 9.30am.

A sunday school and lounge will however be out of action for repairs, the fire having crept into the ceiling about the time fire crews arrived from the Taradale Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Fire Service's Napier station.

Mr Latter and police investigator Detective Glenn Yule said that with the time the fire appeared to have been going, it was "lucky" the damage was not much worse.

A fire had apparently been set in a doorway not visible from the road, and just four metres from the oldest part of the complex, built more than a century ago.

An unmonitored alarm was activated but it was not clear yesterday at what time, and it was understood residents of a house on the church property had been unaware of the fire.

Mr Yule, who is on duty during the Easter weekend, said the church had been "locked up" about 5.30pm on Thursday, and police were seeking any information about movements in the area later in the evening or yesterday morning.

"It was certainly deliberately lit, and they were very lucky," he said. "It could have destroyed the building."