Fire which injured two deliberately lit
THE remains of what appeared to be a red fuel container was found hidden under clothing and pieces of rags after a building fire which left two people injured, an incident report reveals.
A woman broke her leg jumping from the ‘‘wellinvolved’’ New North Rd building in Auckland in the early hours of March 20.
She was hospitalised with a serious leg injury and smoke inhalation after leaping from the first floor balcony.
Firefighters at the time said the woman was forced to leap from the building after a ladder
CHRIS McKEEN/STUFF
truck was delayed.
When firefighters arrived about 4.30am, people were jumping from a first floor balcony to escape smoke and flames.
An incident report, released under the Official Information Act, noted the normal escape route was blocked by smoke, and a fire investigation report concluded the fire could not have started without human involvement.
The fire investigator determined the cause of the fire was the deliberate ignition of a flammable liquid by a match or lighter, classifying it as ‘‘incendiary’’, and discovered the remains of what appeared to be a red fuel container, which the building’s occupants had not put it there.
A police spokesman said the matter remains an active police investigation and its inquiries are ongoing.