Electrical fault likely cause of house fire

An electrical fault in the ceiling was the cause of the major house fire at Raupunga on Monday morning that destroyed an old home. The two men living there were fortunately roused from their sleep by a passerby as the fire got started. Picture supplied

The fire that destroyed an old three-bedroom home on Putere Road at Raupunga south of Wairoa on Monday morning was caused by some sort of electrical fault.

Two men living in the home were woken from their sleep by a passerby who saw the fire starting at around 6am Monday morning.

They managed to get out of the house safely.

Firefighters said the blaze spread very quickly and most of the home was on the ground when they arrived.

Specialist fire investigator Tim Allan has carried out a scene examination to try to establish how the fire got started.

“It’s certainly not suspicious at all.

“It started up high in the house, in the ceiling space somewhere, and it was caused by some sort of electrical fault in the ceiling above the kitchen area.”

The two men who lived there lost most of what they owned in the blaze.

Mr Allan said they have managed to find alternative accommodation.