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Video / NZ Herald
Police are investigating after a man claimed to be behind the torching of a string of churches in Masterton.
Videos appeared on social media of a man who claimed to have started suspicious fires that damaged four Masterton churches and appeared to target three others in the early hours of Saturday.
“Kia ora, I set fire to the seven churches. Seven stars, seven candles,” a man says in one video clip seen by the Herald.
The damage to some of the churches has been described as 'significant'. Photo / Wellington Fire and Emergency
Police told the Herald officers were aware of the videos, and they were forming part of an investigation into the blazes.
An elder of one of the Masterton churches said a row of chairs has been completely burned, upholstery is charred, and smoke marks stretch up to the ceiling.
The blue light from a police car illiminates the damage to Masterton Baptist Church from the fire. Photo / David Dew
The four churches hit were the Anglican Church of the Epiphany, St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Masterton Baptist Church, and Equippers Church Masterton.
Emergency services discovered Masterton Baptist Church was on fire while headed to a different church fire.
Earlier, St Patrick’s Catholic Church praised the efforts of a local police officer who happened to be driving past, saw the building was “red hot”, and managed to dampen the flames with an outside hose until firefighters arrived.
The damage to some was described as “significant”, with police investigating and standing guard at the buildings.
Up to 12 Fire and Emergency New Zealand trucks earlier rushed to fight the fires, which all started between 4.25am and 4.35am, a spokesperson said.
Masterton Baptist Church elder David Dew viewed the damage through a doorway early this morning after emergency services called him to the scene.
He was thankful and thought the damage could have been a lot worse if firefighters had not stumbled across the fire.
Dew said it appeared someone had thrown an object through the window with an accelerant to start the fire.
He told the Herald it was very disturbing that four churches were targeted in one night.
“This deliberate act is very upsetting and the fact that people or persons unknown have felt they could plan – you don’t normally have seven, we’ll call them firebombs, at hand, you have to make them.”
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