Crews battled a fire at Whakarewarewa Rugby Community Sports Club overnight.

He said the security officer called him back, and he could tell from her voice that it was bad.

“I had no words for how I felt right then,” he said.

Hatu said while the building was still standing, the roof and the inside were destroyed. He anticipated it would need a complete rebuild.

He said the devastating part was losing all the club’s memorabilia and photos that lined the walls.

These include decades-old photographs donated to the club.

A painting of a koroua [elderly man, grandfather] that hung on the club’s walls was among items destroyed.

“He sat like a guardian over our club over the years.“

Fire destroyed the Whakarewarewa Rugby Community Sports club overnight.

The Tai Mitchell Shield and the Rotorua Rugby Sub Union Senior Championship Banner were among taonga inside the club.

Hatu said the shield had suffered a lot of smoke damage and the banner had a piece on the bottom that had been burnt.

“They are pretty badly damaged but they are still there. I guess now they will have more of a story to tell.“

He said endless trophies - many won this year - that sat in cabinets were destroyed or badly damaged.

“There were so many, we won it all this year.“

Hatu said the reality of the fire and what the club meant to everyone sunk in when older members came to the club early this morning and stood with them watching the emergency services do their work.

“We were all crying.“

Hatu said it wasn’t known yet where the fire started and whether it or not it was an electrical fault or something suspicious.

“We have already had the worst happen to us with the fire so I would like to think that it wasn’t that (arson).”

The Tai Mitchell Shield and the Rotorua Rugby Sub Union Senior Championship Banner was damaged.

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said the fire reached third alarm, meaning there was a risk of it spreading to surrounding buildings, but crews were able to contain the blaze about 4am, the spokesperson said.

Five fire trucks, one ladder truck, two water tankers and multiple support vehicles were sent to the scene.

Whakarewarewa men’s premier rugby coach Ngarimu Simpkins said he was devastated to get the news at 4am.

“The first thing that comes to mind is all the photographs on the walls of all the players that we used to look up to as young ones.

“I’m talking about the likes of the Maniapotos and the Schusters. Those are probably all gone now.”

He said he had seen a photograph of the Tai Mitchell Shield and it looked in a “bad way”.

“I’m not sure if that can be restored but it’s devastating.

Fire crews at Whakarewarewa Rugby Community Sports club after a fire overnight.

“The biggest treasures were all the memories of the past teams and times we spent there together.“

Simpkins said it saddened him to think of all the hard work everyone had put into the club now being gone.

“I’m sure we will recover but right now I’m just really sad for everyone.“

Simpkins said the beauty of Whakarewarewa Club was its people and he knew everyone would pull together to rebuild.

“I don’t know what that’s going to look like but we will be thinking of our rangatahi and our juniors having a home.

“I know in times like these we will all come together and help for the sake of our kids.”

In a Facebook post, Hatu said: “Unfortunately, our beloved club was caught in a fire early this morning. The fire has now been extinguished and the Fire and Emergency team are currently on site carrying out their mahi”.

It said at this stage, fire and police officers were conducting investigations.

“We kindly ask everyone to please stay away from the club and allow the teams to do their work safely and efficiently.

“We will continue to keep everyone updated as we work through this unfortunate situation together.”

Crews battled a fire at Whakarewarewa Rugby Community Sports club overnight.

Earlier this month the club celebrated its success at the Bay of Plenty Rugby Awards, describing it as “the year that keeps on giving”.

The club won many awards, including Administrator of the Year for Hatu, Coach of the Year for Simpkins, Player of the Year for Jessie Mason-Grant, Women’s Player of the Year for Jordyn Tihore and both Men’s and Women’s Team of the Year.

The men’s team won the Baywide Premier final in July against Tauranga Sports, its first Baywide win in 19 years.

The women’s team also won the Baywide Championship final.