Huntly train station building: Suspicious fire damages historic building during move

Huntly's historic railway station building caught fire. Photo / Waikato District Council

Raahui Pookeka Huntly is guarding the remaining half of its original 1939 heritage railway building at a secure location after the other half was badly damaged in a suspicious fire on Wednesday night.

The historic building had been sitting at Lake Puketirini since 2008 and was being returned to the Raahui Pookeka Huntly railway station, now an important stop for the Te Huia commuter train service from Waikato to Auckland, this week as part of the station’s wider restoration project.

To transport the building, it was cut in half and brought to the tracks by truck one piece at a time. The quick reaction time of Fire and Emergency Services means not all hope is lost yet.

Waikato District Council says assessments about the damaged half are still underway while police reports it is treating the fire as suspicious and are following positive lines of inquiry.

Waikato District mayor Jacqui Church says the incident was “horrible”.

“The first piece of the building was transferred earlier this week... People were really excited about the transfer and some were watching the [arrival of the second piece] as it happened. Some of them were crying. It’s not just a building, it’s a piece of history.”

The council initially posted on Facebook it was “extremely saddened to lose” the building, but Church says the council was doing its best to see the building restored and is awaiting further assessments.

According to Church, the building was insured and the burnt piece is still sitting at the station while the second piece is still intact and has been moved to a secure, undisclosed location.

The relocation of the historic railway building was part of a wider project that has seen the railway station being equipped with a new platform, security cameras, lighting, a park-and-ride service, taxi bays, passenger information display boards, and walking and cycling links.

To complement the new and improved station, the historic building was meant to be home to a new museum about the history of one of Aotearoa’s main mining areas. The museum was meant to open later this year.

Huntly's historic railway building has been sitting at Lake Puketirini for a long time. Photo / Waikato District Council

Huntly Ward councillor David Whyte says the fire was “a kick in the guts”.

“People are very upset. It’s not good, but it could have been a lot worse... I understand it is salvageable, and still meant to host the museum. The fire started in the back of the building and the front which would have faced the train station is still intact.”

The historic railway station building has been sitting at Lake Puketirini for a long time with the initial intention to act as the Waikato Coalfields Museum. The Huntly Museum Committee has advocated for the return of the building to the station since 2017.