Kingdom Hall in Christchurch, NZ torched

[Dave]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?objectid=12362655&ref=twitter

[Dave]

A Kingdom Hall in Christchurch got torched this morning. Sounds like the work of an arsonist who also attacked the Cardboard Cathedral half an hour later. 

 

From what I’ve heard the Kingdom Hall has been completely destroyed.

[CHecker]

Dave, what's a cardboard cathedral?

[Loopy]

News article about the fires.

 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/122682854/jehovahs-witnesses-hall-damaged-in-one-of-three-suspicious-fires-in-christchurch

 

A Jehovah’s Witnesses hall is badly damaged after a spate of suspicious fires in Christchurch within three hours overnight.

It was one of two places of worship targeted, along with a beachside cafe.

About 3am, firefighters received multiple calls about a large blaze at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, in Waitikiri Drive, Parklands.

Fire and Emergency NZ spokeswoman Lyn Crosson said crews from three stations were tackled the fire. The building was badly damaged.

 

“The building was well alight when we arrived. It’s a decent-sized building,” she said.

 

“It has since been extinguished. It’s considered possibly suspicious and is being investigated.”

Half an hour later, the alarm was raised at Christchurch Transitional Cathedral, in Hereford St, about a small fire in a back room.

The blaze had gone out when fire crews arrived.

[JennyM]

Oh thats crazy and sad. So far, no torching of khall in my country. 

[hatcheckgirl]

So sad, but it doesn’t stop the ability to meet, hey? Once upon a time, this would have meant  reorganising everyone into other locations, and some initial disruption to the witnessing work. Now, it will all still just continue. 
 

As for rebuilding the hall, maybe now is not a good time to be doing that with the pandemic? It’s fairly safe in NZ, but I can’t imagine the brothers would risk working on a building project now. But perhaps for safety, some work needs to be done still.

 

Please keep us informed how it goes and if they catch the sicko.

[friendlyone]

3 minutes ago, hatcheckgirl said:

So sad, but it doesn’t stop the ability to meet, hey? Once upon a time, this would have meant  reorganising everyone into other locations, and some initial disruption to the witnessing work. Now, it will all still just continue. 
 

As for rebuilding the hall, maybe now is not a good time to be doing that with the pandemic? It’s fairly safe in NZ, but I can’t imagine the brothers would risk working on a building project now. But perhaps for safety, some work needs to be done still.

 

Please keep us informed how it goes and if they catch the sicko.

True, it seems pointless taking risks rebuilding the Kingdom Hall at the moment. At least with using Zoom the brothers there can simply carry on as they were with their worship and rebuild in their own time.

 

It seems like someone had some grudge against religious buildings. 😞

[friendlyone]

12 hours ago, bagwell1987 said:

Dave, what's a cardboard cathedral?

I asked the same thing so I just looked it up.

 

And here's the answer (Wikipedia explain it better than I can). 😃 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardboard_Cathedral

[Friends just call me Ross]

2 hours ago, friendlyone said:

I asked the same thing so I just looked it up.

 

And here's the answer (Wikipedia explain it better than I can). 😃 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardboard_Cathedral

Wouldn't want to be in it in an earthquake.

Come to think of it, I wouldn't want to be in it EVER.   

 

Quote

A-frame in style, rising 24 metres (79 ft), it would incorporate 86 cardboard tubes of 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) each atop 6 metres (20 ft) long containers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardboard_Cathedral

What's to keep those 1,100 lb. cardboard tubes from crashing down on the churchgoers? 

[RichardPNZ]

Arrest has been made.

 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12363002

Edited September 7, 2020 by RichardPNZ

[friendlyone]

He doesn't like cafes either!

 

Playing with fire could get him locked up for a long time. It'll be interesting to follow this story see how things play out.