Crimeline: Quick thinking saves Slow Cuts building on fire
Quick thinking saves Slow Cuts building on fire
Quick thinking by an onsite manager saved Arrowtown restaurant Slow Cuts and neighbouring businesses in the Royal Oak building from being burnt to the ground last Thursday, 4 June as did prompt action by local firefighters, FENZ Otago Lakes Group assistant commander Nic McQuillan says.
The fire, which is under investigation, occurred about 5.30pm and was “a very near miss”, McQuillan says. “Lucky someone from the staff was on site and the alarm went off with the Arrowtown Volunteer Fire Brigade team there quickly doing some excellent internal firefighting,” he says. “It was a very good save as otherwise that fire would’ve burnt down the whole (commercial) block that the restaurant was in.”
Arrowtown Brigade station officer Alex Holden also commended the actions of the manager in the restaurant at the time. “It was a lucky save, well caught by the business manager who took quick action, made a prompt evacuation and isolated the services, gas and power to the site,” he says. “It was a good thing the business occupants did the right thing.”
Arrowtown firefighting volunteers were on the scene within seven minutes, and it took about 40 minutes to put the blaze out.
McQuillan says it was “pretty intense but very repairable”.
Holden says at this stage they can’t say how the fire started but a fire investigator has already been to the site and investigations are ongoing.
Young Aussie tourist rescued – Lost on Earnslaw Burn
A young Australian woman holidaying locally was rescued off the Earnslaw Burn track overnight on Monday, 8 June, by local Search and Rescue volunteers after she lost the track and became disoriented, calling Police for help.
Constable Amanda Shute says the female tourist in her 20s had been on her way back after hiking the Earnslaw Burn track for eight and a half hours. She had been using the AllTrails navigation app on her return and lost the track an hour or so after darkness fell, finally calling Police from her cellphone for help an hour later at 8pm.
Shute says Police communicated with the woman via WhatsApp to gain her coordinates.
A Wakatipu LandSAR team located her just after midnight, very cold but uninjured.
Former chairperson of the team Ed Halson says he understands they had the woman back in Queenstown by 3am.
“Everybody’s focusing on Earnslaw Burn and there are many social media posts that paint it as an easy walk,” Halson says. “But you need good navigation skills, good equipment, extra sources of light and to be prepared for a night out in the open,” he says. Thankfully, there was cellphone coverage where she rang from, but people should always carry a personal locator beacon on these walks. “This is not an easy day walk. It’s five hours minimum one way, not a trip for the faint-hearted. You need good sturdy footwear and the right gear,” he says.
Another driver allegedly more than four times over the limit
Police were disappointed at yet another alleged very high level drink driving incident after several similar incidents recently. A 40-year-old Auckland man has been charged with driving with excess breath alcohol third or subsequent after allegedly blowing 1171mcg at Frankton just before 1.30pm on Sunday, 7 June. Shute says Police were called to a vehicle allegedly swerving over the centre line and almost hitting a bank on the Frankton-Ladies Mile highway. The vehicle was stopped on Glenda Drive. The driver had his licence suspended for 28 days and will appear in the Queenstown District Court on 26 June.
Fighting in Cow Lane
Two local men were issued with a formal warning after Police were called to fighting in Cow Lane at 3am on Saturday, 6 June. Shute says the two men were having a verbal argument which then allegedly escalated into them pushing and shoving. One of the men then allegedly punched the other man in the jaw which led to a brief struggle and wrestling with one another. Both men were arrested and returned to the Queenstown Police Station.
Drink driving checkpoints:
32-year-old local man, 539mcg, 8.30pm, 5 June, Hanley’s Farm. Court 26 June.
22-year-old overseas driver, 507mcg, 9.09pm, 4 June, Frankton Road. Court 26 June.
