Bay of Plenty fire destroys Paengaroa couple’s home and belongings

Paengaroa couple Lyn Fraser-Jones and husband Frank watching firefighters trying to save their burning home on February 7. Photo / Sandra Conchie

Frank Fraser-Jones milled the macrocarpa timber used to build his home in 1986.

The 82-year-old’s granddaughter, who grew up in the house, says the two-storeyed, three-bedroom home had “beautiful” macrocarpa beams and an “amazing” internal balcony, where her Poppa had his desk, and could look down onto the kitchen and dining areas.

The property in Paengaroa, near Te Puke, had “beautiful large trees” and plenty of vegetable gardens.

But six days ago, all Fraser-Jones and his wife Lyn could do was stand and watch as fire destroyed the house.

The alarm was raised just before noon on February 7 and the Old Coach Rd home, opposite Paengaroa School and Paengaroa Kindergarten, was burning fiercely when the first firefighters arrived.

Flames also ignited a 200m shelterbelt between the couple’s property and a neighbour’s orchard. Six fire appliances and two water tankers responded and the house fire was put out about 2.15 pm.

Granddaughter Lauren Woollett spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times on their behalf after their “devastating”loss.

Lyn Fraser-Jones, 72, is a teacher’s aide at the local kindergarten, secretary of the Paengaroa Community Association and a Justice of the Peace. The couple have lived in Paengaroa since the 1980s.

Woollett said her grandparents’ treasured A-framed home and their belongings were gone.

“Poppa and Nana’s father milled the macrocarpa timber and built the home in 1986. It had beautiful macrocarpa beams and an amazing internal balcony, which was where my Poppa had his desk, and he could look down onto the kitchen and dining area.”

She said the gutted home was surrounded by “beautiful large trees”, there was also a " lovely barbecue area” and lots of vegetable gardens.

Woollett said her grandparents were fully insured and the assessors were still determining the full extent of the losses.

“But it would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, and you would never be able to build another home like for like. It’s irreplaceable,’’ she said.

“It’s just a devastating loss not only for my grandparents but for me as well as I grew up in this amazing home, which meant it was extra special.”

Fortunately, her grandparents were not home when the fire took hold and a neighbour and others called 111 after seeing smoke, she said.

“When my Nana arrived home, the fire engines were already there and all she and my Poppa could do was stand and watch the firefighters trying to put out the fire.”

Woollett said her grandparents were still coming to terms with what had happened.

“It’s a huge loss for our family and the Paengaroa community has come together in a huge way to support them.”

Her grandparents had received donations of food, clothing and other necessities from “amazing members” of the community.

“We want to thank everyone who donated items, and the amazing members of the fire service, who worked tirelessly to extinguish the fire. Plus, those who came down and cooked food for the firefighters. This has been a blessing for our family.”

Woollett said her grandparents also wanted to say a huge thanks to a generous community member who offered them the use of another home for as long as they needed it and were “blown away” by all the amazing support they had received.

“Our family will be eternally grateful to every one of those people.”

Paengaroa Community Association chair Sue Matthews.

Paengaroa Community Association chair Sue Matthews said Lyn and Frank Fraser-Jones were a wonderful community-minded couple.

“This is a horrific and shocking thing to have happened to them and the impact has been colossal, with the loss of many private items, including their favourite cars.”

Matthews said the Paengaroa community had rallied to help them because of all the couple had done for the community.

“Lyn and Frank are the people who identify someone who needs a bit of a helping hand and they quietly and genuinely support them. Lyn is very visionary and is always the first to offer support to anything the association does, gets stuck in and fits things into her busy life.

“She has amazing energy and keeping the Paengaroa cycleway litter-free which is one of her passions ... and whatever Lyn is doing, Frank is there in amazing support, including when Paengaroa was creating an area for the Historic Wagon, Frank behind the scenes was redoing the village signage board.”

Lyn was also an “absolute whizz” with social media and without her input the “very successful” 2024 Paengaroa Community Association’s Spring Festival in the Park would not have had 90 stalls and 1400 people attending.

Fire and Emergency NZ fire investigator Jon Rewi told the Bay of Plenty Times his investigation report was not yet finalised but the cause of the fire was “accidental”.

Sandra Conchie is a senior journalist at the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post who has been a journalist for 24 years. She mainly covers police, court and other justice stories, as well as general news. She has been a Canon Media Awards regional/community reporter of the year.