McDonald’s Pakuranga owner: “In three minutes the business was gone”

McDonald’s Pakuranga owner Amon Jones with Times Media owner and Howick Local Board deputy-chair Bo Burns, with a bag of gifts for him to share with his staff. Times photo PJ Taylor

The owner of McDonald’s Pakuranga that was burnt down in an act of suspected arson has spoken publicly for the first time since the horrifying inferno on May 5.

Amon Jones, who has owned McDonald’s Pakuranga for 20 years, talked with the Times this week about the “traumatic” incineration of his business.

He first heard that his fast-food restaurant was on fire via a string of phone calls, including one from his wife, while he was at the other McDonald’s franchise at Glen Innes he’s also owned for 14 years.

“It was a senseless act of arson and in three minutes the business was gone,” Jones says, describing how quickly the fire that is understood to have started in the playground area spread throughout the building.

Police have told the Times this and last week “the investigation is ongoing” into the McDonald’s Pakuranga arson.

On May 6, detective senior sergeant Michele Gillespie, of Counties Manukau Police CIB, said: “We are treating this fire as a suspected arson.”

This week, Jones met with Times Media owner and Howick Local Board deputy-chair Bo Burns, who conveyed the company’s and community’s sympathies for what has happened.

Jones told us that foremost in his and the McDonald’s company’s thoughts are the Pakuranga franchise’s 59 full-time and part-time employees.

They are being paid up to this Sunday, May 25.

The dramatic fire on the afternoon of Monday, May 5, swept through McDonald’s Pakuranga in only a matter of minutes. Everyone on the premises evacuated safely. Photo supplied

He says McDonald’s restaurants in Auckland are a mix of company and franchise-owned businesses, and “they’ve all reached out” to offer their assistance.

Jones says he’s concerned about the “stress” that his staff, especially the ones that have mortgages and household bills to pay, have regarding ongoing employment and income.

More than half of the employees are being redeployed to other McDonald’s restaurants, including about 12 to Glen Innes, and others to Ti Rakau Drive at Botany, and Ormiston.

Some workers, students who were on part-time hours, have already chosen to look for other roles elsewhere, he says.

All the personnel, especially those who were working on that sunny and windy afternoon of Monday, May 5, when the fire quickly engulfed the restaurant, have been offered counselling through McDonald’s employee assistance provider Sonder.

“The bricks and mortar stuff will take care of itself,” Jones says, in reference to the plan to rebuild McDonald’s Pakuranga, at 472 Pakuranga Road, near Highland Park.

Full demolition work and clearing of the site is expected to begin soon and Jones says the plan is to construct a new McDonald’s Pakuranga and have it open in the first quarter of next year.

Jones is full of gratitude to and praise for Harper Davis, the “incredible” nine-year-old St Mark’s Catholic School pupil who quickly told the McDonald’s staff that the fire had broken out between 2.30pm and 3pm.

“It was a Monday afternoon, a low-volume day. If it had been around 3.30pm, when there could have been 90 school students in the restaurant, it could have been a lot different,” Jones says.

About 600,000 litres of water were used to extinguish the blaze, from which toxic black and grey smoke could be seen from most parts of east Auckland. Times photo

No one suffered injuries from the fire incident and everyone on the premises evacuated safely.

He’s appreciative in acknowledging the east Auckland community’s support during this difficult time for him, his family and the employees and their whanau, as the restaurant is a popular place where people have congregated to eat and socialise for many years.

McDonald’s Pakuranga has also been a consistent supporter and sponsor of community organisations, clubs and projects.

“The community outreach has been incredible. But I think of people like the big knitting group of Asian women who meet there every Thursday. Where are they going to go?”

Jones can’t yet comment about the official police investigation, but he says the Fire and Emergency New Zealand inspector told him some 600,000 litres of water were used to extinguish the blaze.

If anyone has information that would assist the investigation of the McDonald’s Pakuranga arson, they can contact police on 105 using the reference number 250505/2106. Information can also be provided by members of the public anonymously via Crime Stoppers on free phone 0800 555 111.