Blaze closes childcare centre
Investigations are under way into a fire which ripped through a Hamilton childcare centre on Boxing Day – the night before it was meant to reopen.
Learn A Lot Childcare was in flames when Fire and Emergency was notified, around 6pm on Thursday.
About 24 firefighters battled the peak of the blaze on the edge of the Rototuna Retail Centre.
The next morning, police were investigating and business owner Lenet du Preez wasn’t sure when she would be able to reopen her doors to her young charges.
‘‘It’s not just product that you stock,’’ an emotional du Preez told Stuff.
‘‘It’s relationships and children and families . . . You’re part of their lives for five years, then the next sibling comes in.’’
The centre is licensed for 50 children and had been due to reopen on Friday for working parents who needed care for their children.
Du Preez – who owns the business but not the building – was called down soon after the fire on Thursday evening. It wasn’t a nice post-Christmas surprise, she said.
She has owned Learn A Lot Childcare for about eight years and been centre manager since January 2019.
A police officer at the scene said they could not comment on the fire until the investigation was complete.
Cordons were blocking access to the part of the centre closest to the retail centre shops, where the most obvious damage was.
Damage was also apparent from the service lane side of the building – while the outdoor play area appeared unscathed, fire had gutted the interior of the building.
Nicolene Williams, who owns nearby 131 Fashions, was grateful the fire was put out before it spread to the main retail centre buildings.
Even so, the back door of another neighbouring shop had been destroyed, she said, and everyone was devastated for the childcare centre.
‘‘I think everybody’s just so grateful that there weren’t little people in there.
‘‘People from the public just helped the firefighters to drag the hoses and get things set up, until other teams arrived.’’
Williams moved clothing out of her shop on Thursday night because of a strong smoky smell, but it had dissipated by Friday morning.
On Thursday night, fire crews from Hamilton, Pukete and Nga¯ ruawa¯ hia and Whitikahu attended the blaze.