Horror of fire seared into Quinn children
A Maraetai woman’s three young sons are traumatised after a fire ripped through their home, destroying everything in minutes and leaving the family with nothing.
Up to seven firetrucks battled and contained the blaze on Maraetai Dr over 10 hours from Saturday afternoon to early Sunday morning.
Kate Quinn has recounted the moment she ran into her burning home to save her dog as smoke and flames rose through the floor from the garage below.
And while Quinn said she and her husband Glen have found the outpouring of support since “overwhelmingly awesome”, she remained anxious about what the future held for her family.
Quinn told the Herald her family ran out with “only the clothes on our backs, two of our kids didn’t even have shoes on.
“One of the kids noticed smoke and within a minute and a half, not even that, our house was up in flames
“There was no time to grab anything. I got the kids, and then I went back in to get the dog and by then it was on fire.
Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) northern communications shift manager Ryan Geen told the Herald fire investigators had visited the scene but the cause of the fire hadn’t been confirmed.
Quinn said it was an electrical fire that started in the garage on the ground floor.
When the Herald asked what was left, Quinn offered a blunt response: “Nothing”.
Fenz sent three appliances to the scene after getting multiple calls a garage and a house were on fire about 2.24pm on Saturday.
“The structure was fully involved in fire,” Geen said.
“Crew transmitted a second alarm which brought two more [trucks], an
aerial appliance [firetruck with a ladder] and a specialist.”
Quinn called the tragedy and days since a “crazy tornado” but said the support her family had received from friends, family and the wider community had helped them through.
“Our family, our friends just rallied so much.
“People have just come from far and wide and wrapped us up. It’s made things a lot easier [to] come to grips with things,” she said.
“We’re getting meals delivered and we’ve got donations [from] everywhere.”
Family friend Tamara Basford started a Givealittle page to fundraise money for the Quinns to put towards their insurance excess and anything left would be spent on bills, mortgage repayments and clothing.
“[The donations thus far have] exceeded my expectations. They need anything they can get right now,” Basford said.
The most important thing, Quinn said, was that everyone was safe.
“We’re incredibly lucky to get seven people out that fast, and two dogs.
“We’re still reeling, to be honest. I’ve got three boys, we’ve got 15, 11 and 9 — they’re traumatised.
“They saw a lot more than I wanted them to see.
“But they’re doing okay, they’re being wrapped in love and all the support.” Quinn said it was too early to know what would happen from here: “I don’t even think I know what tomorrow holds at the moment.”