NZ and Australian troops continue to monitor Chinese fleet, Cook Islands/New Zealand relationship in spotlight, and "dramatic" police operation in Christchurch in the latest NZ Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
Police are appealing for sightings of a vehicle after a string of suspicious fires at four Masterton churches – and evidence three more churches had been targeted but not yet set alight.
The four churches hit on Saturday morning were the Anglican Church of the Epiphany, St Patrick’s Catholic Church, Masterton Baptist Church, and Equippers Church Masterton.
Today police said they are following “strong lines of inquiry” in their arson investigation and are seeking information about a green Ford Festiva seen leaving one of those fires.
“Police are working to establish the movements of the vehicle in the early hours of Saturday morning when the arsons were reported, and the day or days beforehand,” a police spokesperson said.
“The vehicle was located abandoned on Sunday, February 23 on Mikimiki Rd, Masterton.
Emergency services discovered Masterton Baptist Church was on fire while heading to the scene of a different church fire.
Up to 12 Fire and Emergency New Zealand trucks had rushed to fight the fires, which all started between 4.25am and 4.35am, a spokesperson said.
Damage to the Masterton churches ranged from moderate to significant, Fire and Emergency said.
It could have been worse given other churches were also targets, police said.
“Police have undertaken checks at other churches in the town ... and have located evidence to suggest three further churches were targeted but did not catch alight,” police said.
An elder of one of the Masterton churches earlier said a row of chairs had been completely burned, upholstery was left charred and marks from smoke stretched up to the ceiling.
The damage to some of the churches has been described as "significant". Photo / Wellington Fire and Emergency
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 churches was described as “significant”, with police investigating and standing guard at the buildings.
The blue light from a police car illuminates the damage at Masterton Baptist Church after the fire. Photo / David Dew
On Sunday Masterton Mayor Gary Caffell condemned the fires as “deeply disturbing acts that have no place in our community”.
“These churches are not just buildings – they are vital gathering places for our community members and represent a strong link to our district’s heritage and our communities’ faith traditions," he said.
“I am thankful that none of the churches were severely damaged and that no lives were lost, and my gratitude goes out to our local fire services for their work to save the buildings and to the NZ Police.
“Let me be absolutely clear: targeted attacks on any place of worship are completely unacceptable, regardless of anyone’s personal religious beliefs,” he said.
The council will work with church leadership to support repairs and restoration efforts.
Masterton Baptist Church elder David Dew viewed the damage through a doorway 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 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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