The true – and tragic – story of Zac Woodroofe
To mark Escape Week – when Fire and Emergency New Zealand urge all households to plan an escape route from fire – a still-grieving mum, who thought it could never happen in her family, tells her story.
Hmum for was hard “never his the his often spot some living mother’s at results He So Poroporo, the job family, animals, on worker of when on loved Paula pop food. as last wanted were cleaning his his help a round specially time. work. the dairy fire saw own who After the near tragic. e loved day. 19, from always to work, broke or him farming to nearly Typically, farm doesn’t put He Zac Whakatane, let all, her laundry Zac’s time his Paula, that his was, in what out Woodroofe loved told hand. – mum 20, long boss and lifestyle to house day need at who says his his or when 19-year-old time? the Zac’s hours he who’d in leave down” mind mum the a lives Paula, farm, to 2016 did bit – his was house do and and him that of he 15 in a a
minutes’ picks 20th went night – when up typical “He “Then something birthday. [March into up he was the young he drive got town three fell story: home; 16, on So away fella to asleep.” 2016], the days he have he – from and stove. he away started a as some wanted few Zac’s you from drinks cooking do, friends house, a his and feed that
will cooking harshest human when Anyone know asleep beings caught laws the familiar and rest on cannot fire the that with of and the planet smell fire deaths one story. can smoke – of that kill by the The us fire
in effect. “but they “He less needed he’d had than taken smoke three new them minutes batteries. alarms,” down – says went because Paula, into
that grocery fellas He’d he are; needed probably shop they but probably to thought you buy know them weren’t to himself how in his high young next
priority.” Zac found Adding had together just to the taken on tragedy the home. couch was They when the were puppy
There firefighters the window was a finally in cat time. too controlled – but it made the blaze. it out
her his “I house. oldest saw him child. He’d that been “I’d day,” often there says go for Paula round a couple of to
of years and I’d go round three or four
times a week; I’d clean the house, tidy
it, maybe fix him some food.
“That day, he was in a rush. I’d
brought him coffee and a muffin and
some socks – he said he was short of
farm socks. But he had to get to work,
so he said: ‘I’ve got to go, mum, love
you…All my kids say that.
“I never saw him again.”
If you’re wondering why Paula is reliving the thing that has caused the
most pain in her life, it is national
Escape Week, organised by Fire and
Emergency New Zealand, highlighting
the importance of having an escape
plan (escapemyhouse.co.nz) – in case
you or loved ones are ever in a situation
where they have just three minutes to
live.
Paula is also recalling this ghastly
time as an illustration of the importance
of with smoke correctly alarms placed and escape alarms vital plans, to a
successful escape. Once she realised
what had happened, the family –
Samantha, now 23, Danielle 20, Jessica
18, and Brody, 16 – smoke alarmed their
house from top to bottom and became
highly familiar with how to look after
them.
THE ALARMING THING ABOUT
ALARMS
Jon Rewi is a specialist fire investigator
and a Fire Risk Management Officer
– and attended the fire at Zac’s
house. “Unattended cooking” was his
conclusion for the cause of the fire after
completing his investigation.
“I found the smoke alarms that had
been taken down,” he says. “We think
it in was the wrong because places. they had They been might installed have
been beeping, giving false alarms and
so on.
“The old story is true – it isn’t the fire
that kills you, it’s the smoke. When we
are asleep, none of our senses work
except hearing; a lot of people do not
realise that,” he says. “There’s another
old story that applies here too…’it won’t
happen to me’.”
Fire and Emergency recommend the
new-generation 10-year smoke alarms
– and advise putting them in all sleeping
areas and the means of escape from
those bedrooms/sleeping areas. They
also recommend forming an escape
plan, as Rewi says: “It’s so you can
safely get out of a house; fire only takes
a few minutes. You’ve got time now –
you won’t if you’re in the middle of a
house fire.”
Smoke alarms cost about $50-$70;
Rewi says they are much easier to
use and maintain than the previous
generation, cheaper models: “Zac’s
house had the old ionisation smoke
alarms, the ones that need the 9-volt
battery. In today’s world, the alarms
have a photo-electric cell; they last 10
years and are easier to maintain and
test – they don’t cause as many false
alarms.”
The implication is plain. Zac’s death
was in 2016 but technology has moved
on, more about people But as reliable smoke that’s technology think not it alarms now. won’t the does; alarming – happen it’s alarms that to thing most them. are
PREVENTING THE UNIMAGINABLE
While we are talking to Paula
Woodroofe, she excuses herself from
time to time. It’s been four years but
she is re-living that horrible time. The
tears won’t stay at bay.
But she wants to do it; wants to talk.
She wants to help ensure others don’t
lose a Zac because they haven’t done a
simple thing.
“Sorry,” she says after one bout of
tears. “I wouldn’t want this to happen
to anyone – losing your child is just the
hardest thing.”
We wait until she composes herself.
We say we cannot imagine the suffering
she’s been through.
“No-one can,” she says.
Exactly.