Suspicious Newmarket fire forces 200 households from homes

Residents in 200 Newmarket apartments were expected to be allowed back into their homes this morning after a fire in a carpark yesterday afternoon caused structural damage to their building.

The fire, thought to have perhaps been deliberately started, broke out around 1.30pm.

Twelve fire trucks from nine brigades were sent to the scene and extinguished the fire around 2pm. However, water leaks and power cuts to the building above the carpark are still to be fixed.

Nearby residents from Queen’s Lodge and King’s Square apartments were immediately evacuated.

While Queen’s Lodge residents returned home last night, King’s Square residents were told sleep elsewhere.

Glass doors fell off on the first floor of King’s Square, directly above where the fire started, following an explosion related to the fire.

Business owner George, who declined to supply his surname, reported a “strong smoke smell inside” and still no electricity in his office at 9pm last night.

George says the residential building was opened once during the afternoon, letting residents take belongings, but was blocked again later.

“The water leak is quite serious . . . Power remains cut off at this stage.

"The body corporate is working with electrician, plumber, and builders to do the further inspection," says an email sent out last afternoon from L&Y Holdings, which manages King’s Square.

King’s Square resident Mstafa, who has lived with his family in the apartment for the last 12 years, found his home fenced off after returning from work at 7pm last night.

Still waiting at 9pm, the family hoped for clearer instructions from the body corporate and the police as to whether they could return home or needed to look elsewhere to stay.

Mstafa said  the fire was partially down to building mismanagement.

“We pay $500, $600 every couple of months [to the body corporate], and we expect better management. [The building] is also very dirty. Yesterday I saw some teenagers [urinating] in the elevator.”

An update from the building management at 8am today says the apartments are safe for re-entry. However, it is unclear to when the power and water will return.

L&Y Holdings told TWN it was coordinating with the Auckland Council to provide emergency accommodation for affected residents.

Currently, toilets are set up near the apartments, and free showers are available to residents at the local swimming pool at 77 Broadway, Newmarket.

Police are still investigating the cause of the fire but have been reported as saying they are treating it as suspicious.

Residents say they believe it started in a rubbish pile that Auckland Council delayed removal of due to the Auckland anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.