In fire hot seat twice since Sunday

Queenstown man Jonathan Dunoyer assists a firefighter at Jacks Point yesterday. Photos by Blair Pattinson.
Queenstown man Jonathan Dunoyer assists a firefighter at Jacks Point yesterday. Photos by Blair Pattinson.
Fire crews battle a fire at the Jacks Point Golf Course clubhouse yesterday.
Fire crews battle a fire at the Jacks Point Golf Course clubhouse yesterday.

A Queenstown man has found himself in the thick of two serious fires at Jacks Point since Sunday.

Irishman Jonathan Dunoyer (26) climbed on to the roof of the Jack's Point Golf Course clubhouse yesterday morning to try to put out a fire in its chimney with a fire extinguisher.

Mr Dunoyer, who lives in Queenstown but is working at Jacks Point, told the Otago Daily Times he and another tradesman were walking past the building on their way to a work site about 8.15am when they saw the flames.

The pair climbed on to the roof with fire extinguishers.

''We sprayed it and sprayed it and sprayed it, but we couldn't put it out.''

On Sunday, he repeatedly rushed into a holiday rental house at the settlement to check for occupants after it caught fire from hot ashes.

Mr Dunoyer said he was worried he was bringing bad luck to the settlement.

''I think I'll go in work in Shotover Country or somewhere for a few days.''

No-one was hurt in yesterday's blaze, which was attended by crews and six appliances from Queenstown, Frankton, Arrowtown and Alexandra.

Seven restaurant staff evacuated the building as soon as the alarm was raised.

Southern Fire Communications shift manager Brent Dunn said the first crew to arrive initially thought the fire was limited to the building's chimney, but called for back-up after finding it had spread.

Craig Erasmus, chief executive of the clubhouse restaurant's owner, Amisfield, said the damage was still being assessed, but he expected the restaurant to be out of action for ''a number of weeks''.

The fire had caused significant damage to the roof, which was ''compromising the integrity of the whole building''.

The seven staff who had evacuated the building were all fine, Mr Erasmus said.

''We're all relieved the staff are safe.''

A Jacks Point resident told More FM he was about to leave for work when he saw fire and black smoke coming from the building's chimney at 8.11am.

He immediately called 111.

''It was a chimney fire, but it must've spread.

''It was big - it's a big clubhouse - and it looked ready to go.

''There were a few tears.''

He was fond of the building as his daughter had got married there last December.

The building is owned by Jacks Point developer John Darby.

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