Subj : 'Sad evening' as closed Auckland country club goes up in flames
To   : All
From : News
Date : Tue May 21 2024 12:34 pm

Nineteen fire crews have brought a blaze at Auckland's Gulf Harbour Country
Club under control - the second major fire at the location in just three days.


Police were initially called to assist Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ)
with the fire at the Gulf Harbour Country Club shortly before midnight.


FENZ confirmed the fire was "coming from the basement" and 19 trucks
responded to the scene.


"At this stage, the fire is being treated as unexplained and enquiries by
emergency services will continue this morning to determine the full
circumstances," a police spokesperson said.


FENZ said there were no reported injuries.

A scene guard would also remain in place until a fire investigator can attend.


Anyone with footage or information that may assist was asked to contact
Police via the 105 phone service or anonymously via Crime Stoppers.


'Just really, really sad'
Gulf Harbour resident, who asked to be identified only as Shelley, told 1News
the situation was "horrendous" as she woke up to the smell of burning
chemicals around midnight. She shared news of the event with her community,
describing it as a "sad evening".


"Just really, really sad that it all happened. Because what, two nights ago
there was the golf shop, and now this. As soon as I smelt the smell, I knew
what was happening.


"And I thought 'oh my goodness, what's that smell?' [I was] looking around my
house thinking, 'where is that coming from?'"


On May 18, a fire broke out at Auckland's Gulf Harbour Country Club shortly
before 3am in the attached golf shop.

The Whangaparaoa Peninsula course, which hosted the New Zealand Golf Open in
2005 and 2006, was closed 'with immediate effect' in July last year.
Residents had vowed to fight the decision.


"The whole community is waking up to losing a bit of their icon, it's been
heart of Gulf Harbour for a long time," Shelley said.

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