Arson suspected in latest building fire at historic Willow Court at New Norfolk

UPDATED: POLICE have arrested two people over a fire in an abandoned hospital ward at New Norfolk.

DAMIAN BESTER and JAMES KITTO

2 min read

September 6, 2018 - 3:35PM

Tasmania

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UPDATED: POLICE have arrested two people over a fire in an abandoned hospital ward at New Norfolk.

In a short statement issued about 2.30pm today, police said the pair had been arrested in a carpark a short distance from the blaze at The Avenue within the Willow Court complex.

Police and Tasmania Fire Service officers remain on the scene of the fire, which broke out just before noon today.

Acting TFS Midlands District Fire Officer Matt Lowe said the design of the affected building was making the blaze quite difficult to extinguish.

“We’ll be here for several hours with our aerial appliance trying to access the fire’s hotspots,” he said.

“It’s unlikely the building will collapse as a result of the blaze.”

Mr Lowe said containing the fire was frustrating for attending firefighters.

“Crews have attended several fires in this area in the last few weeks at this building and the adjoining derelict buildings,” he said.

“It’s very frustrating putting our people at risk. A lot of our volunteers left work to be here to address the fire.

“Not only does it affect their safety but their personal lives as well.”

New Norfolk resident Maree, who wished to keep her surname anonymous, said she phoned triple-0 when she saw smoke appearing at her nearby home.

“It’s so sad to think that these old buildings, which hold so much history, are now no more,” she said.

“It’s obvious to me that the damaged buildings now need to be demolished.”

It was the second blaze at the same building in as many days, after the TFS extinguished a small fire at the precinct around 5pm yesterday.

Anyone who saw people acting suspiciously in the area today is asked to call police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.

Crime Stoppers reports can also be made online at www.crimestopperstas.com.au

UPDATED: Police suspect that the fire at Willow Court was deliberately lit.

“There’s no active electricals in the abandoned building, so that flags suspicious activity,” Sergeant Chris Hey of New Norfolk police told the Mercury.

Fire crews are working to control the structure fire that was reported just before noon today. .

Tasmania Fire Service members at the scene of the fire at Willow Court in New Norfolk. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

The Tasmania Fire Service has deployed three heavy tankers, two heavy pumpers and one light tanker to contain the blaze in the abandoned former hospital ward.

Eyewitness Mark Krause said a number of onlookers had flocked to the scene. “The fire is now in the building’s roof and the damage appears extensive,” he said.

Smoke from the fire is visible throughout the town and surrounding area.

EARLIER: MULTIPLE units from the Tasmania Fire Service are on the scene of a major fire in a building at the Willow Court historic site at New Norfolk.

A fire in the former Glenora House building was reported at 11.55am and follows a fire in the same heritage-listed building yesterday afternoon.

Seven units from local fire brigades are battling the fire and further support is being sent from Hobart.

Another heavy pumper is on the way, along with a hydraulic platform to enable the fire to be tackled from above.

The building was one of three sold to a private developer some years ago and has been the subject of repeated arson attacks in recent months.

The location is opposite the local Woolworths supermarket and next door to the site of a similar building destroyed in a deliberately-lit fire in 2012.