Whangārei Municipal Building fire: Future uncertain for agencies housed in 'iconic' building

Friday, 11 October 2019

Northland fire’s assistant area manager Graeme Quensell tells Stuff about the fire at the Municipal Building. (Video first published October 11, 2019)

Eight community groups that work in a 107-year-old Northland building that was damaged by fire will soon learn their fate.

On Thursday, a major fire ripped through the landmark Municipal Building on Bank St in Whangārei, destroying the building's clock tower.

Hundreds of people watched on as firefighters battled the blaze for hours.

Sheryl Mai said it was a tragic day for the history of Whangārei as she watched the building burn.

The city's mayor, Sheryl Mai, said it was a tragic day for the history of Whangārei and it was too soon to know what caused the fire or how badly damaged the 'beautiful old building' would be.

Firefighters battled the blaze on Thursday for hours.

Daniel Nicholson, Fire and Emergency New Zealand's northern communications shift manager, said fire investigators would begin piecing together what caused the fire on Friday.

On Thursday evening, Mai said the district council was debriefing about the impacts of the fire and what would happen to the eight agencies, including the Citizen's Advice Bureau, that were housed in the building.

Groups who are housed in the building have been told they will be put into temporary accommodation.

She said discussions were still underway but they were looking at temporary accommodation for the groups.

Jessie Manney from Multicultural Whangārei said she had been told the building was condemned and the council was looking for new temporary homes for them.

Eight fire appliances were sent to the scene on Bank St, Whangārei.

'The fire is underneath the roof and in the clock tower and they don't know how safe it is.

'The tower is in the middle of the building, above the [only] stairs.'

Lucy Schuurman from Volunteering Northland said the tenants had been told to meet with the council on Friday to find out more about their fate.

Like many of the building's occupants, she thought it was just a drill when the fire alarm went off, so she left her belongings inside.

Schuurman, who was also a software developer, left her developer's laptop inside, along with personal items.

One woman had to call a locksmith because her car keys were left inside.

Schuurman said the council had told Volunteering Northland it would look for a new home for the group.

But Manney said the organisations liked to be together, often referring clients from one room to another.

'We're like a big family in there,' she said. 'I did shed a few tears.'

But Multicultural Whangarei board member Jos Polman was practical about the future, saying it was the people who were most important.

'We are the community – not the building. We'll make new connections.'

The 2009 Whangārei District Historic Heritage Report said the building was a 'fine example of a civic building from the Art Nouveau period'.

The building was opened in 1913 and housed the municipal offices, library and reading room.