The massive fire that engulfed a construction site near Auckland, New Zealand’s SkyCity Casino last week may have started when a young apprentice left a blowtorch unattended when he went on a cigarette break.
The fire in the $700 million convention center brought central Auckland “to a standstill,” reported the New Zealand Herald. It burned for days and forced the evacuation of thousands of people. No decisions have been announced about the fate of the damaged structure.
According to Asia Gaming Brief, more than 80 percent of the roof of the partially built seven-story building was destroyed as firefighters fought the blaze.
SkyCity CEO Graeme Stephens said no cause has yet been determined. He also expressed concern about the person—possibly a teenager—implicated in the fire. “We have been worried about that person. We don’t know who it is. There’s certainly no witch hunt from our side. We have a genuine concern for their mental health and wellbeing.”
He added, “We don’t know the cause of the fire. We have concern for anyone involved. We need to get to the cause, obviously.”
