Van ‘100% destroyed’ in early morning Wainui fire

A work van parked alongside a house in Douglas Street at Okitu caught fire about 4am on Wednesday. Photo / Gisborne Herald

A van fire that started on a Wainui property burned perilously close to a house before firefighters cut it off.

Fire and Emergency NZ received multiple 111 calls about 4am today.

A work van was burning on a Douglas St property at the Okitu end of Wainui, near the Francis St corner.

“The van was parked by a lean-to structure attached to the side of the house,” a senior firefighter said.

“The fire was really going for it when we got there. The van was fully alight.

“But we were able to keep the flames away from catching on to the house.

“The lean-to was damaged. The van was 100% destroyed.”

People in the house were unharmed.

The cause of the fire is being investigated

Two fire appliances and two water tankers responded to the incident.