Police investigation into Thain's building fire 'ongoing'

Police have confirmed their inquires are still ongoing into the cause of the Thain's Building fire, however, Fire and Emergency and closed their investigation. Photo / Bevan Conley

Police say inquiries into the cause of a fire that destroyed the heritage Thain's building in central Whanganui last year are ongoing.

They were "unable to comment further". However, the Fire and Emergency investigation into the cause of the fire July 20 fire has concluded the cause was "undetermined".

Whanganui station officer Shane Dudley said the building was too unsafe to enter after the fire so a thorough investigation could not be carried out.

"The structure engineers assessed it and we weren't prepared to send our guys in because it was too dangerous.

"When fighting the fire, it got to too unsafe so everything happened externally," Dudley said.

The fire caused interior floors to collapseand hotspots began flaring up days after the fire.

Whanganui station officers ruled it was too unsafe to send their men inside to carry out a thorough investigation. Photo / Bevan Conley

Whanganui District Council chief executive Kym Fell announced a few days later that the building, on the corner of Taupō Quay and Victoria Ave, could not be saved.

Demolition for the building was over by mid-November and the future of the space remains unknown. Photo / Bevan Conley.

The building was demolished by mid-November after engineers gave the go-ahead on the best way to remove the last remaining wall without compromising neighboring buildings.

The site now lies empty and the future of the space is undetermined.