Te Puke orchard shelterbelt fire caused by skyrocket

Shelterbelt fire at Te Puke kiwifruit orchard caused by skyrocket let off during celebration. Photo/File

A fire which destroyed a large section of shelterbelt at a Te Puke kiwifruit orchard was accidentally caused by a skyrocket let off during a celebration.

Te Puke fire chief Glenn Williams said the brigade was called to the Te Matai Rd orchard property about 8.30pm last night.

Both volunteer fire crews with a water tanker fought the blaze which destroyed about 100m of shelterbelt about 100m inside the property's boundary, he said.

Williams said the fire was caused by a miss-directed skyrocket.

The occupants had been letting off fireworks and while a skyrocket-type firework was being let off it tipped over and shot into the shelterbelt.

"It was purely accidental fire and fortunately no one was hurt," he said.

Te Puke brigade also attended two further callouts on Saturday, including a potential house fire at McLaughlin Drive home in the township about 7.37pm.

Williams said the fire crews were called to the property after reports of arcing in a power board inside the house.

Fortunately, there were no signs of fire and the matter was left in the hands of Meridan Energy, he said.