135-year-old church saved from fire

There is no indication it was a suspicious blaze. Photo / Supplied

A sprinkler system saved a 135-year-old church from being devastated by a large fire this morning.

Fire Service spokesman Chris Dalton said eight fire trucks and another two ladder trucks rushed to the fire at Wesley Church on Taranaki St in Wellington about 2.10am.

The church was built in 1880.

An automated alarm initially alerted the Fire Service to the blaze and a sprinkler system contained the flames to the room of origin - a lucky save, Mr Dalton said.

"We received it by automatic alarm this morning, which was a great save because we didn't receive any 111s for it. That was the first indication of fire and it managed to extinguish the fire as well.

"It would have been a different story if we didn't have a sprinkler system so a good save there. Yet again, it proves that smoke alarms and sprinkler systems save buildings."

Four crews responded initially but the blaze was large enough for firefighters to call in another four trucks, he said.

A specialist fire investigator had attended and would be back this morning to carry out an investigation into the cause.

There was no indication it was a suspicious blaze, Mr Dalton said.

Wesley Church, at 75 Taranaki St in central Wellington, was designed by Thomas Turnbull and opened in 1880.

Restoration was carried out after a fire severely damaged the front of the church about a century later in 1982.

NZME lp