Children may have started fire
Fire
Suspicious fire
Children playing with matches may have caused a fire which took firefighters over an hour to diminish.
The Tokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade was called out to a fire on South Waikato District Council owned property near the airport.
‘‘ It appears it may have been lit by children . . . some lady saw them playing with matches,’’ chief fire officer Dave Morris said.
He said firefighters spent an hour and a half securing the approximately 40 by 20-metre section of scrub.
Further investigations will take place. Total fire ban enforced
Residents have been made aware of a total fire ban thanks to a personal visit from the district’s volunteer fire brigades.
Morris said the Tokoroa brigade attended two callouts to put out backyard rubbish fires.
Luckily for firefighters there was no fuss, he said.
‘‘Most of the time they are as good as gold, there’s no arguing.’’
He said there is no fine unless people persist on lighting fires.
Once the fire ban is lifted, residents need to get a permit
from the council. Car crashes into fence A car ‘‘ shot off’’ the road and plunged into a fence but resulted in only ‘‘minor’’ damage. Putaruru chief fire officer Nathan Bennetto said the brigade attended the call with the Tirau Volunteer Fire Brigade. The accident, which occurred on the north side of Tirau involved a couple who suffered minor injuries, he said.
Police
Some drivers have not been following the advised 30kmh speed limit around road works in Putaruru.
Putaruru Police have received reports of people exceeding the speed limit while travelling through the road works at the north end of the town.
Police would like to remind drivers to be cautious in this area.
Road works are expected to be completed in March.