House was half gutted by blaze
Flames were leaping from the windows and thick black smoke billowed into the air as firefighters arrived at a house fire in New Plymouth on Tuesday.
The brigade was alerted to the blaze at a Clawton St, Westown, home about 10.30am and it was quickly elevated to a second alarm with additional resources called in to help extinguish the flames.
Four engines, about 20 firefighters and the brigade’s operational support unit were at the scene along with police.
Fire safety officers, assisted by police, were investigating the cause of the blaze.
Neighbouring properties were put on alert because of the threat posed to nearby houses and the street was closed while emergency services worked at the scene.
Senior station officer Maurice Kemsley said the house was well alight when they arrived.
‘‘There was a large quantity of black smoke going up into the sky and the smoke was also affecting the house next door,’’ Kemsley said.
Two men from a neighbouring property had attempted to control the spread of the fire using garden hoses.
Although firefighters had been told there was nobody home when the blaze broke out there were always concerns people could be inside and fire officers wearing breathing apparatus entered the building as soon as it was safe, Kemsley said.
‘‘We still completed a search as soon as we were able to, to make sure there was nobody inside the house.’’
Half of the house was gutted by the blaze while the other half suffered significant heat and smoke damage.
Neighbour Jayden Waiwiri saw it unfold.
‘‘He just saw the window smash and the flames coming out. I had never actually seen one first hand before, I just hoped that no-one was in there,’’ Waiwiri said.