House in Leeston gutted by blaze
A house in a Canterbury town southwest of Christchurch has been ‘‘totally damaged’’ in a fire.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) was called to the May St, Leeston address at 5.30am yesterday.
‘‘The fire is extinguished at this stage, we’re just mopping up,’’ a FENZ spokesman said about 7.30am.
Crews from Dunsandel, Lincoln, Leeston and Southbridge found the property ‘‘well involved’’ when they arrived.
Flames were ‘‘leaping 20-odd metres’’ in the air, and ‘‘everyone left their homes because they could see the red glow in the sky’’, the spokesman said.
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said he woke up about 5.30am to the sound of a truck.
The man then heard a ‘‘pop’’ and the sound of sirens, so he went to his kitchen window.
‘‘By the time I saw it, the fire was that well alight it had obviously collapsed the lounge and kitchen roof,’’ he said.
‘‘The flames were leaping out through the roof.’’
There was no one in the house when crews arrived.
A FENZ spokesman said ‘‘multiple hose reels’’ were used to extinguish the blaze.
The neighbour said the house was ‘‘gutted’’ and all that was left of the roof was a bit hanging ‘‘over the last two bedrooms at the end of the house’’.
He said it was ‘‘sad’’ for the owner, who had lived at the property for about 10 years, but her two dogs were safe.
A fire investigator would try determine the cause of the blaze.