The building owners engaged a contractor to start demolition on Friday. Scaffolding has been put up to provide enough support for the building to return it to at least the structural state prior to the fire, and has allowed the fencing to be brought hard back against the containers.
This first phase has been achieved ahead of schedule, and most of the cordon can now be removed.
The footpath opposite the building and the road corridor are both able to be accessed, but the footpath directly in front of the building is closed until further notice for safety reasons.
Manual demolition can now start with minimal impact on the local businesses and residents. A digger will be placed at the rear of the building for removal of materials.
Metlink has been advised. Visit metlink.org.nz for more information on routes that were diverted.
We thank the local businesses and residents for their patience and understanding during this challenging time.