'Amazingly huge' blaze destroys clubhouse at Belleknowes

The clubhouse at the Belleknowes Golf Course has been destroyed by a blaze which started just after midnight.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said four appliances were called to the scene at 12.17am today and the St Kilda crew then remained at the scene to dampen down any hot spots.

The clubhouse has been left a shell after the fire.

Firefighters try and douse the blaze which has already destroyed much of the clubhouse. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery
Firefighters try to douse the blaze which had already destroyed much of the clubhouse. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

A fire investigator has been at the scene and will be returning later, the spokeswoman said.

Roslyn resident Judith Swan witnessed the ‘‘dramatic’’ scene.

She had peered out her window to get one last look of the snow before going to bed, but what she saw was quite the opposite.

The sky was glowing orange and a fire appeared to be raging nearby, she said.

The remains of the clubhouse at Belleknowes Golf Club this morning after last night's blaze. Photo: Doug Lilly
The remains of the clubhouse at Belleknowes Golf Club this morning after last night's blaze. Photo: Doug Lilly

‘‘It was kind of not what you would expect.

‘‘The colour from the fire was lighting up the smoke and the snowy sky - it looked amazingly huge.’’

Ms Swan said she could hear ‘‘bangs’’ and ‘‘cracks’’ from her house.

‘‘It was quite dramatic.’’

She and her partner Gordon Speed decided to walk up the road to get a closer look, by which point firefighters had brought the blaze under control, she said. 

The clubhouse at Belleknowes Golf Club fully ablaze. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery
The clubhouse at Belleknowes Golf Club fully ablaze. Photo: Stephen Jaquiery

 

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