Extensive fire and smoke damage can be seen on the first level of the Hawke's Bay Opera building. Photo / Supplied.
Extensive fire and smoke damage can be seen on the first level of the Hawke's Bay Opera building. Photo / Supplied.
Three Hastings fires which were lit in the space of an hour appear to be linked and are being treated as suspicious.
Thirteen appliances responded to the separate incidents last night, which all occurred in the Hastings central business district, within a 1km radius of each other.
Fire and smoke damage on the ceiling of the first floor of the Hawke's Bay Opera House. Photo / Supplied.
The first alarm was raised at the Historic Opera House building on the corner of Eastbourne/Hastings Streets at around 9.30pm, where it is believed an intruder or intruders entered the building and set a fire, a police spokeswoman said.
A scene guard and fire vehicle after a fire at the Hawke's Bay Opera House in Hastings last night. Photo / Paul Taylor
The second fire occurred at the Lighthouse building on Queen Street East, and the third occurred outside the Bay Plaza building early this morning.
Hawke's Bay fire area commander Ken Cooper said both buildings had evidence of forced entry and they were working with police to determine the cause.
Fire and Emergency crews were seen battling the blaze last night at the Hawke's Bay Opera House. Photo / Adam Codlin
"For both incidents we had early identification and a quick response time from Hastings and Napier stations so damage was limited to the scene of origin where the fire started."
It is understood most of the damage was smoke-related.
They had to bring in volunteers from outside the district to cover the stations.
"We had cover, but it does obviously stretch us," Cooper said.
Hastings senior station officer Mike Peachey said they were notified of the Opera House fire about 10.15pm, by a crew attending a different fire job in Hastings.
Emergency services spent three hours at the large commercial building after the fire started behind the stage area, on the ground floor of the three-storey building.
He said all resources in the area had gone towards putting out the fire. Nine appliances attended the scene on Hastings St.
"It was quite well-contained due to the construction of the building," Peachey said.
Hastings District Council staff were this morning assessing the damage from the fire, which appeared to have been contained to the loading bay area.
An HDC spokesperson said the ceilings directly above this area were also badly damaged and it was expected there would be some smoke damage on the first and second floors.
The spokesperson said there was no damage to any of the heritage architecture of the building that has been closed for earthquake strengthening since 2014.
Last year the government invested $4 million towards the cost of earthquake proofing the Opera House.
"The fire has not interrupted the upgrade work happening in the wider Opera House precinct."
Whatever It Takes Trust Inc own the building on Warren St, which is only used during the week. The charity is the region's largest peer provider of community based mental health and addiction service.
General manager Caroline Lampp said the fire started in a storage room at the back of the property and there is a "reasonable amount of damage".
She is unsure on how much it will cost to repair and the insurance company was assessing the damage.
"It is particularly disappointing for the clients who come each day to the centre and we are not sure yet if we will be able to continue to operate there in the meantime until the fire inspector and the council have had a look.
"If we can't keep going, it will be particularly upsetting for the clients who come each day."
An insurance assessor was scene surveying the damage at the 'Lighthouse Building' on Warren St, after a suspicious fire last night. Photo / Paul Taylor.
It is not the first time this has happened, with Cooper noting there has been a number of instances in the last three or four weeks where they have been called to small rubbish bin fires, or cardboard set alight outside commercial properties.
"We are working with business owners and we would like to remind them over this festive period to ensure their housekeeping is in order ... that they are not storing up cardboard or rubbish outside their properties and obviously to ensure vigilance outside their properties when they leave."
He urged those deliberately lighting fires to think about the lives they are putting at risk and the resources they are taking away from other possible incidents that they could be responding to.
A police spokeswoman said they were working with Fire to determine the cause of the fires.
"We will also be investigating whether the three fires are connected. We haven't identified any suspects or made any arrests as yet."
"Police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area between 9pm last night and 5am this morning."
