Fire destroys home and property
The Kaitaia Fire Brigade responded to what was reported as a shed fire in Church Rd, just outside Kaitaia, shortly after noon on Thursday, but found a large half-round barn, used as a home, totally engulfed in flames.
Eleven firefighters arrived in two appliances and the brigade’s water tanker, but by then the fire, which created a pall of black smoke visible from several kilometres away, was beyond control.
“The heat was so intense that crews using breathing apparatus could only fight the fire from outside; flames were leaping out the doors at both ends,” deputy chief fire officer Ross Beddows said.
Water was taken from a nearby pond to supplement the 8000 litres carried by the three appliances, but the initial concern was that someone might have been inside the building. It was quickly established that the occupant wasn’t there, but very little of his property could be saved.
A vehicle outside the barn survived, but another that was parked inside was destroyed.
“Apart from the intense heat and thick smoke, we were also faced with a venting gas bottle flaring near the rear of the building and partial collapse of a section of the roof,” Mr Beddows said.
“Dampening down took some time, as there was much equipment and material burning inside, making it hazardous to enter until the soundness of the structure could be confirmed.”
A fire investigator’s preliminary finding was the fire may have started from electrical equipment near the rear of the building. It was not believed to be suspicious.
The call was one of four responded to by the brigade on Thursday, the others being “non-events”, a false alarm to a controlled burn-off in North Rd Kaitaia at 8.45am, an accidental alarm activation at Juken NZ’s triboard mill at 11.30am and a small rubbish fire at Awanui at 8pm.