|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A crime scene has been established at the Botany electorate office of the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
The Times visited the address at 122 Millhouse Drive in Northpark at 10.25am today, June 3, and police had cordoned off the property at the boundary using ‘Crime Scene’ tape.
Counties Manukau Police have told the Times at 12.45pm they “are treating the circumstances as suspicious, and investigations will be ongoing”.
Detective inspector Karen Bright, of Counties Manukau Police CIB (Criminal Investigation Branch), said: “At around 9.53am emergency services responded to reports of a small fire at the rear of an electoral office on Millhouse Drive, Northpark.
“The fire was extinguished quickly by Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
“A cordon has been established with a scene examination to take place,” Bright said.
Neighbours who live across the street told the Times on the footpath outside their home that they heard a “loud bang and saw smoke” billowing from the rear of the Prime Minister’s electorate office property at about 9.45am.
They said a Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) truck and crew attended the scene shortly after. It had departed when the Times arrived.
Five police cars were parked around the property on the corner of Millhouse Drive and Kilimanjaro Drive at 10.30am.
Outside the office, six officers were on patrol, with one of them interviewing the neighbours the Times talked with.
FENZ told the Times earlier: “You would need to contact the police on this matter.”
It’s understood that the Parliamentary Services’ Botany electorate staff who work in the office are safe.
