Police station fire baffles officers

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Coromandel town police officers are baffled as to why anyone would want to set fire to their small station.

Senior Constable John Morrissey, who lives behind the two-officer police station on Kapanga Road, was alerted to the fire by a neighbour about 3.30am on Friday.

He extinguished the blaze with a hose before fire trucks arrived.

Senior specialist fire investigator Todd O'Donoghue said the blaze was arson.

"I've ruled out any other possible causes so it's now a police investigation to determine who deliberately lit it."

It did not appear an accelerant had been used, he said.

The fire had caused damage to an outside wall and to the underneath of the floor, destroying phone lines and computer wires, Mr Morrissey said.

These had been replaced and the station was up and running again.

Mr Morrissey had no idea why anyone would want to do such a thing.

"I guess it's one of the cards that's in the deck - it happens from time to time around the country - and now, unfortunately, it was my turn.

"It's pretty sad event when something like this happens, it has an impact on the whole community really."

Senior Sergeant Graham Shields of the Thames Coromandel Police said it was fortunate the neighbour raised the alarm when he did.

"If the fire had been allowed to burn for much longer it could have taken hold and the entire building could have been destroyed" he said.

There was no one in the building at the time of the fire.

Mr Shields said the attack was intended to intimidate the whole town, not just the police.

"The Coromandel area has experienced an increase in burglary and drug related offending in recent months and we have been making some good arrests in response.

"This shows that the staff in Coromandel have been shaking the right trees and making things uncomfortable for criminals in the area. We won't be discouraged," Mr Shields said.

Police are keen to hear from anyone with information about the fire or who may have been in the area at the time, either by calling Thames police on 07 867 9600 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

- with NZPA