A Dunedin technology firm general manager says team spirit will get it through a difficult time.
Less than two weeks ago, Igtimi general manager Kylie Robinson and her team were celebrating a job well done after playing a leading role in the management of the America’s Cup.
But on Saturday, their Dunedin office on the second floor of the Imperial Building, in Dowling St, caught fire which took the wind out of their sails for a while, she said.
"It’s tough for the whole team because they’ve all worked really hard to make this place a success. It’s still a bit fresh and raw for us.
"But it’s just an office space. We’ll get through this and sort it out."
Ms Robinson said there was extensive smoke damage to the office.
Fortunately, much of their computer equipment was still in transit from Auckland where staff had been working.
The technology firm created the regatta management system for the America’s Cup, which covered everything from the umpiring software to wind measurement and spectator management.
About two and a-half years ago, it was bought out by German company Riedel Communications.
It produces comprehensive GPS tracking, time-based data recording, visualisation and management solutions. Its core business has been with high performance water sports.
The core of its technology has been used for television coverage of international sporting events.
It built equipment for Olympic sailing teams, after an approach by High Performance New Zealand; that was something spawned from what it had been doing for the America’s Cup.
"The services that we offer will be suspended, initially for a week, while we review how they are offered."
She said staff would work from home until a new office space could be found.
Since the fire, she said several "wonderful" businesses had offered office space for them to operate out of, free of charge, until a permanent space could be found.
She said she was working through the options - whether to find a new space or stay in their present office once it was operational again.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand fire investigator Mark Bredenbeck said the damage around the fire site was extensive and the cause was officially "undetermined".
"But most likely, something has occurred in or around the back of a CPU [computer central processing unit] tower and an electrical installation like a multi-board.
"The damage was too extensive to actually identify exactly which item has caused the fire."
