Firefighters smashed through locked bedroom doors to establish if anyone was inside a burning house in Te Puke this morning. Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade was called to the Dunlop Rd house blaze about 6.20am. "When we got there it was full of smoke and flames were coming out the back wallof the house," said chief fire officer Glenn Williams. Firefighters had to extinguish the flames and ventilate the house before they were able to confirm the house was empty. Neighbours, who called 111, were unsure who lived at the property or whether they were home. The brigade requested police help in tracking down the owner and he was located in Taupo. Mr Williams said he believed the man shared his home with two boarders. Fire safety officer Ken McKeagg was at the property this morning trying to determine the exact cause of the fire. It began near a sofa in the lounge. Mr Williams said: "We know where it started, the point of origin, but as for the source, that hasn't been determined yet." Firefighters located hot spots in the house using thermal-imaging cameras and left the property about 8.30am. Mr Williams said about 80 per cent of the lounge had been burned and the entire house was damaged by smoke and water. Mr McKeagg was awaiting the arrival of the owner from Taupo, whom they hoped would be able to shed light on the exact cause of the fire.
