An owner of an Auckland paintball company is devastated after an early morning blaze gutted one of its buildings.
The Fire Service was called to Asylum Paintball, the former Kingseat Hospital building, south west of the city at 3.50am.
A co-owner, Alex Malikov, said the building was used as a playing arena and now it was completely burnt down.
He said he was woken at 5am about the blaze and was on site after 6am.
He said it was sad to see how quickly the fire spread and the damage it did to a fully cast-concrete building.
Mr Malikov said he hoped no one would have to experience what he was experiencing right now.
He said most of the fire engines had gone and he was waiting for the all-clear in order to open an adjacent playing arena for customers this afternoon.
Mr Malikov said he was not speculating as to how the fire started but would wait to hear back from the investigation.
