Electrical fault likely cause of fire that destroyed historic Kelly Tarlton vessel Tui in Paihia
A fire investigator has revealed the most likely cause of the blaze that destroyed a historic ship linked to late adventurer Kelly Tarlton.
The sailing ship Tui, which had been berthed at Waitangi since 1969, went up in flames about 4am on Wednesday. Despite firefighters' efforts, it had to
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RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
Fire on historic ship The Tui most likely caused by electrical fault
Historic ship The Tui was found on fire on 4 June 2025. Photo: RNZ / Peter De Graaf The fire that destroyed a historic ship in the Bay of Islands was most likely caused by an electrical fault, not by arson, a fire investigator says. The Tui, a century-old sugar barge converted into a replica sailing ship by the late underwater explorer Kelly Tarlton, was severely damaged by fire early on Wednesday morning. Police initially treated the blaze as suspicious and, given how little remained, Northland fire investigator Craig Bain was not hopeful of being able to establish the cause. Luck was, however, on his side. "As the digger was bringing bits and pieces out, we were looking for the likes of switchboards and hard drives for the security system, and anything that might show an origin point," Bain said. "Just by pure luck, once everything had been removed, I went into what was left and looked over the side - and lying in the sand were the burnt-out remnants of the mains switchboard. Digging through that a bit further I found what was left of the mains cable that feeds the switchboard, and that had significant arcing and a fair bit of melting on it as well, indicating significant heat." That led the investigation team to conclude an electrical fault was the most likely cause of the fire. The find was even more unexpected given how quickly they had to work to beat the incoming tide. Bain said the switchboard was still warm to the touch when found, and appeared to have fallen out of the boat early in the fire. Power was live to the switchboard due to the vessel's pending restoration, and it was possible moisture had entered it during the wild weather lashing the Bay of Islands that night. Bain said the finding that the fire was most likely electrical rather than suspicious could provide some comfort to the owners, as well as to the Tarlton family. "I think it's quite a benefit to the folks starting out on this project to restore the boat that there doesn't appear to be anything malicious about the fire, that we know of." Kelly Tarlton created the Tui in the 1970s to display his collection of treasures salvaged from shipwrecks around New Zealand. Later it housed a series of restaurants and cafes but for the past decade it had been empty and increasingly derelict. It was bought last year by researchers Cat Peters and Thibaud Guerin, who planned to turn it into a centre for free community marine education. In April this year their TriOceans Education Trust received a grant from Foundation North to restore the ship. Work had just started when the fire broke out. Parts of the ship not destroyed by the blaze had to be demolished that morning, both to allow firefighters to fully extinguish the flames between its two hulls and to ensure debris did not enter the Bay of Islands on the high tide at 2.30pm. The site was blessed before dawn on Saturday in a moving ceremony led by the chairman of neighbouring Te Tii Marae, Ngāti Kawa Taituha. Fiona Tarlton took part, representing the family, and said she planned to gift the marae a framed photo of the Tui and her late father. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Electrical fault likely cause of fire that destroyed historic Kelly Tarlton vessel Tui in Paihia
A fire investigator has revealed the most likely cause of the blaze that destroyed a historic ship linked to late adventurer Kelly Tarlton. The sailing ship Tui, which had been berthed at Waitangi since 1969, went up in flames about 4am on Wednesday. Despite firefighters' efforts, it had to
RNZ News
3 days ago
- RNZ News
Northland researcher's dream of creating marine education centre goes up in smoke
Thibaud Guerin, owner of marine research company TriOceans, and Cat Peters, chairwoman of the TriOceans Education Trust, say they haven't given up their dream of a marine education centre in the Bay of Islands. Photo: RNZ / Peter de Graaf A Northland marine researcher's dream of creating a free community education centre has literally gone up in smoke in a devastating ship fire. Cat Peters, chairwoman of the TriOceans Education Trust, said her plans had been 10 years in the making. Last year the trust had been able to buy the Tui - a derelict ship next to Waitangi Bridge in Paihia - and at the end of April it received a substantial grant from Foundation North to restore the vessel and turn it into a community classroom . Work was just about to start when the Tui was destroyed in a fire that started just after 4am on Wednesday. Surveying the charred remains of the vessel later that morning, Peters was unsure what her next steps would be. She was, however, determined to keep her vision alive. "The dream's not going to die, we're all very committed to it. It might just take a bit of a different form now," she said. Historic ship The Tui on fire in Paihia. Photo: Supplied Peters was also upset for the Tarlton family, with the late Kelly Tarlton creating the replica three-masted barque from a vintage sugar boat in the 1970s, and turning it into a museum for treasures he had salvaged from shipwrecks. "It's gutting. Gutting for us. Gutting for the Tarltons. Gutting for the community, and everybody who came out to support this new lease of life for the boat. It's just gutting." Work had been due to start any day and some building materials had already been brought on board. "We were going to turn it into a community education centre. It's been a long lived dream of all of ours, to offer free marine education to the community so people can learn about what's going on in the Bay, and learn about how they can help and be involved." Peters said the Tui was ideal because it was right on the water and incorporated the story of Kelly Tarlton. "So it was perfect. And you can't get more inspired learning about the water than on the water." Northland fire investigator Craig Bain inspects debris pulled off the ship in the hope of identifying the cause of the fire. Photo: RNZ / Peter de Graaf Lead contractor Darrin Hawke, of Kerikeri, said he had already carried out some interior work and was looking forward to starting the restoration in earnest. He had lost building material but no tools in the fire. "I really feel for the owners. They've put a lot of heart and soul into this project so I feel for them more than anything else. But it's sad for everyone concerned. And I'll just have to look for more work." Peters said very little could be salvaged from the wreckage. "The majority of it's gone. We had fortunately taken some old artifacts off already, just in preparation for the work. But the things that were the soul of the boat, they're all gone unfortunately." She did, however, manage to rescue the ship's wheel, which she would offer to the Tarlton family given their long connection to the Tui. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
