Close to going 'woosh'

SHANE WENZLICK

LUCKY SAVE: A fire could have destroyed this Remuera building if it hadn’t been for the speedy response of firefighters. The blaze started in the top corner room.

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A notable Remuera building that houses the Hearing Association caught fire last week, but was saved thanks to the quick response of firefighters.

Staff in the orthodontist's office upstairs were eating lunch about 1.30pm on Thursday when they smelled smoke. They saw a fire in the corner of a street-facing room in the historic building, alerted other occupants and got outside.

Hearing Association secretary manager Elaine Turner says firefighters from Remuera station were on the scene at 8 St Vincent Ave in under two minutes.

"That actually saved the whole building," Mrs Turner says.

"A firefighter told me we just didn't know how lucky we were because these old buildings just go `woosh'.

"If it had happened after 6pm, this building would not be here."

While little damage is visible from the outside, most of the roof is charred.

In the corner room where the blaze started the ceiling collapsed, paint has peeled away and the carpet is blackened.

Other parts of the building are water-damaged.

The association was without computer and phone lines on Thursday and Friday.

Workers had been waterproofing the building at the time.

The fire's timing was unfortunate for the charity, having planned and advertised open days tomorrow and Friday. The open days will go ahead with free hearing screens and a demonstration of hearing aids. Firefighters from Remuera and Ellerslie were at the scene for nearly three hours.

Several insurance companies are now investigating.

The historic building is one of the oldest in Remuera.

It was donated to the Hearing Association Auckland by Kathleen Hurd-Wood when she died in 1965.

- © Fairfax NZ News