Police investigating suspicious fire at Thames Golf Club, NZ
Eastern Waikato CIB are seeking information relating to a suspicious fire at Thames Golf Club around 2:30am on Wednesday 18 October 2017 where a greenkeeper’s shed, storing golf carts and mowers, went up in flames.
The fire that ravaged the shed on the course at State Highway 26 is being treated as suspicious, Waikato specialist fire investigator Kevin Holmes said.
Neighbours noticed the blaze and alerted fire authorities around 2.40am on the Wednesday.
By the time the first crews from Thames arrived the 10 by six metre structure not far from the club house was in flames.
“It’s gutted,” Holmes said.
“One end of it is closed and had golf clubs stored in there – that’s the end that is completely destroyed.
“The other end had a tractor and mower which has been damaged.”
Thames Fire Brigade Senior Station Officer Shane Bromley said two crews from Thames, along with a truck and tanker from Puriri attended the fire.
“When we arrived the building was well alight.”
The fire was brought under control pretty quickly, Bromley said, but fire crews were onsite for about two and a half hours.
Four golf carts, along with the tractor and other greenkeeping implements, had been destroyed.
“It’s a shame. Some of the older people who have worked all their lives, who play, and can’t get around that much now have no carts.”
At this stage there was no exact cause of the blaze, but it was being treated as suspicious, Holmes said.
Police and Fire investigators believe the fire was deliberately lit. It caused extensive damage to the building resulting in a substantial financial loss to the club.
As part of ongoing enquiries, Detective Constable Mark Leathem is encouraging anyone who may have any information relating to the fire to please contact Police on (07) 858 6200 and quote file number 171018/6671.
You can also report information in confidence by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Source: stuff
