News

O n Wednesday 18 February 2015, emergency services were called to four separate North Dunedin areas in the early hours of the morning. A house located on Leith Street was left with severe damage to the front porch, as well the front two rooms of the house. The Leith Street residents had not yet set up insurance; however, OUSA has created a Givealittle fundraiser to show support.

University of Otago Proctor Simon Thompson said the fire “was started in a chair on the front porch of the property that had been set alight by a passerby.” He noted that the flat was empty at the time.

The Southern District Police said in a press release that an ongoing investigation was being conducted on who started the fire, and that it is as yet unclear whether it’s connected with the other fires that night. The release notes that the police are looking into three men who “were seen near the Leith Street address and running away from it towards Frederick Street at about 12.45am this morning.”

Lindsay Rae, a Senior Station Officer with the Fire Service, responded to the calls made by residents that night regarding the fires. Rae said the bystander presence on Leith Street was significantly large when they arrived on the scene. “I would presume that the other bystanders were [mostly] students,” he said. Rae seemed resigned to the fact that there would always be arson in Dunedin. “I’d like to think the fires would go away,” he said. “Of course, a person would be naive to think that there would be no deliberately lit fires at all. But the numbers that there are, are out of hand.”

Professor Harlene Hayne, Vice-Chancellor at the University of Otago, said in a media release that fires “will not be tolerated” and the university “fully support the Fire Service and Police in their efforts to apprehend offenders who carry out criminal behaviour.”

“Our Code of Student Conduct makes it clear that any offence relating to fires and couch burning will result in serious trouble for the perpetrator. We have taken a hard line with students who have been caught lighting fires, and we will continue to do so,” said Hayne. The University Proctor has already issued nearly $4,500 worth of fines for students breaching the Code of Conduct during this Orientation Week, and he said that they will face the “prospect of exclusion from the University as a result of their foolish actions.”

Otago Police Coastal Area Commander Inspector Jason Guthrie warned, “if Police catch you or your guests fire lighting this will result in a court appearance but more importantly you do not want a death or serious injury from fire on your conscience.”

Given the apparent propensity of North Dunedin residents and/or visitors for setting furniture on fire, the Fire Service has asked residents to keep outside furniture indoors.