October 13, 2008

A building in the heart of Feilding hit twice by arson is a hazard and could be demolished within days.
The Central Auto Parts building in Manchester Square became a fireball on Sunday night.
Several hundred people lined the streets to watch as more than 40 firefighters tackled the blaze.
Feilding police said the fire was suspicious, though the cause was not yet known because the building was severely damaged and unsafe.
There had been reports of young people near the fire but there were no links to an earlier fire in November.
For manager Scott Rutherford, it was a case of deja vu. Almost a year ago, the building was left derelict after fire swept through an adjoining bakery, leaving smoke and water damage.
A 17-year-old is expected to stand trial in Palmerston North District Court next month on a charge of arson in connection with the bakery fire.
Mr Rutherford said he had been nearby, watching television with workmates, when they saw the flames. 'Oh, she was well and truly alight this time . . . there were flames for miles.'
Feilding fire chief Peter Guard said that, after the first floor of the building collapsed, it was too dangerous to get inside so crews fought the blaze from outside.
Two adjoining buildings had been at risk. 'It was touch and go there for a minute, but we were fortunate to have a good water supply and plenty of people.'
Manawatu District Council said the building had been secured and it was trying to contact the owner to issue a notice for demolition.
Dangerous task: Fire crews fight to contain Sunday's blaze in central Feilding. Hundreds of townsfolk watched the action.