A mystery early-morning fire has gutted an inner-city 94-year-old church in Napier.
St Paul’s Presbyterian Church on Tennyson St was destroyed in the blaze that took hold about 1am on Monday.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said the structure was well alight when crews from Napier, Hastings, Bay View and Taradale arrived.
The spokesman said a fire investigator was at the scene this morning.
Reverend Mark Johnston had been co-minister at St Paul’s alongside his wife Reverend Carolyn Kelly for two years.
He said the damage to the church, which was built in 1932, was significant and unrepairable.
The main sanctuary was lost and the roof had buckled, but the outside structure was intact thanks to metal trusses.
Pews from the original church lost in the 1931 earthquake had also been charred or destroyed.
“It’s devastated the whole sanctuary,” Johnston said.
“It’s not going to be a quick fix.”
The church’s administration offices, lounge, kitchen and toilets were still operable.
Johnston last used the church for a 10am service on Sunday. He said it was upsetting to see it smouldering fewer than 24 hours later.
Police were making inquiries on Monday, but Johnston said there was no confirmation of what had happened.
The pastor said it held special memories for his congregation, who’d invested a lot of time celebrating and mourning loved ones at the church.
“They are great people ... they rally, and they know that the church will continue ... but we are going to have to reimagine what our future is on this physical site.”
He was yet to confirm a location for the church’s next service but said it had good relationships with other parishes and expected to have that confirmed in the coming days.
Jason Lake was one block away from the scene at his flat when he was awoken at 1.30am by the sound of the fire and his dog growling.
He said he was saddened a congregation and community had lost its church.
Napier Mayor Richard McGrath said the community needed places like St Paul’s in the middle of town for its congregation to worship and for community meetings.
“Hopefully they’re not down for too long ... I wish them the best in getting things back to normal.”
Meanwhile, police earlier arrested a man on arson-related charges in Napier following two fires unrelated to the St Paul’s Church fire.
Emergency services were called to a building on Bower St about 12.50am on Sunday to reports of smoke coming from the building, which then caught alight.
Several hours later police were notified of a suspicious fire in an alleyway on Market Street.
A 47-year-old man was arrested and charged with wilfully setting fire to the Market St property, and with arson.
He has been remanded in custody.
Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany and New Zealand.