Authorities criticized after fire in abandoned Christchurch villa

Christchurch authorities are coming under fire for letting a heritage listed building be abandoned.

The abandoned villa, featured in Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures movie, caught fire shortly after 5:20 a.m. Tuesday.

Heritage activist Dr. Anna Crighton said the council and Heritage New Zealand must take a tougher line on landlords who allow heritage buildings to deteriorate.

“They’re just toothless tigers. You really can have all the words you want in a district plan, but you have to put it into practice and really crave these people.”

“It really is a negligent demolition.”

Crighton said it is cultural vandalism in his eyes.

“It really makes me mad when the owners of these buildings, especially if they have been registered historically and of social importance, are not good caretakers.”

The villa’s owner, Andy Wong, said the Edwardian property had a history of problem squatters and was the second fire in less than two years.

Someone is believed to have entered the locked building via an existing staircase before setting the property on fire, he said.

Police and firefighters are investigating the cause of the fire.

A block of 20 homes had to be evacuated during the fire.

The villa was built in 1906 and is listed as a heritage site by the Christchurch City Council for its historical and social significance.

The exterior of the house was featured as the home of Pauline Parker in Heavenly Creatures.