Knife pulled during Parnell lodge blaze, fire safety concerns revealed

Publish Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2024, 8:07am

A man pulled a knife on two others during a fight in front of a Parnell boarding house that was engulfed by fire.

A neighbour of the City Garden Lodge said she saw three men fighting yesterday afternoon as fire tore through the property before one man pulled a knife.

She told the Herald she had issues with residents of the lodge who often cursed and threatened both her and other neighbours for more than three years.

She understood the fire was lit among one of many weekly fights at the property.

Another neighbour said the building was home to many parolees and others who were just “down on their luck”.

One person said she was too scared to walk by the lodge alone even during the day due to threats that residents would yell at her.

Another neighbour said the fire was “very dramatic” and lit up the sky almost instantly.

Black smoke billowed from the blaze as she hurriedly moved her cars away which were metres away from the fire.

Firefighters are back at the Parnell lodge which was badly damaged by fire yesterday. Photo / Michael Craig

This morning a police scene guard was in place, with fire investigators returning to determine the cause of the blaze.

There are now fears for the future and safety of the historic boarding lodge badly damaged by a fire in Parnell, which was due for a fire safety audit tomorrow.

Police and fire investigators are today combing through the wreckage of Sunday’s fire to determine how the blaze started at City Garden Lodge, a backpackers’ hostel on St George’s Bay Rd.

Auckland Council building compliance workers are also on site to see if the building will ever be able to be lived in again.

Neighbours say three men were seen fighting at the front of the burning St Georges Bay Rd property.

Deputy Auckland mayor Desley Simpson said this morning the Parnell building was due for its building warrant of fitness check tomorrow.

The building had passed checks in August and November.

Ten crews remained on-site overnight dealing with the wreckage of the City Garden Lodge.

A police scene guard was in place overnight, with fire investigators to return this morning to determine the cause of Sunday’s fire.

Sixteen fire appliances were required to battle the blaze at the backpackers' lodge at its peak. Photo / Hayden Woodward

At its peak, 16 fire appliances were needed to fight the blaze, which sent flames 6m high and smoke billowing across the city, leaving locals struggling to breathe outdoors.

Fire and Emergency was first alerted shortly after 4.30pm through the lodge’s alarm system, before receiving multiple calls from the public, scene incident controller Assistant Commander Gary Lane said.

“The fire has engulfed the attic area and spread down to the first floor,” he said.

“Our crews have been using a ladder truck to pour water on the fire and this seems to have knocked it back well ... The fire is now contained, but crews will remain on standby overnight,” Lane said.

A police guard remains outside City Garden Lodge on St Georges Bay Road in Parnell following yesterday's fire. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Police also arrested one person after a “disorder” incident at the same address but later released them without charge.

Fire and Emergency NZ received an initial call to “persons reported”, meaning there was possibly a person still in the building, Lane told a Herald photographer at the scene.

“We still haven’t been able to locate one of the occupants and we’re still in the process of trying to find them.”

However, police said there were no immediate concerns about anyone remaining in the building.

A witness told the Herald flames appeared to be about “20 feet [6m] high”.

“It is absolute chaos here. There is thick smoke all over the street ... we went outside but were told to go back in because we couldn’t breathe,” they said.

Fire takes hold at the City Garden Lodge in Parnell on Sunday. Photo / Frank Mair

The resident said they saw people fighting outside the address that was on fire and one person was arrested.

Police said this morning their investigations were also continuing into the fire’s cause.

Anyone with footage or information that may assist is asked to contact police by calling 105, referencing file number 240407/1413. They can also provide information anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

The lodge has been in the news in the past, when a woman was arrested after an alleged attack on New Year’s Day, 2021.

Three people were seen covered in blood and screaming at each other at the boarding house after a man living above a couple with a baby was allegedly stabbed.

Another young man, in his 20s, was taken to hospital due to a stab wound to his back.