Gisborne fire destroys home, claims lives of three dogs

Three dogs were killed in a fire that gutted a house on Lytton Rd early on Saturday. Photo / Murray Robertson

• Three dogs were killed in a fire that gutted a house on Lytton Rd early Saturday.
• The house was 100% fire-damaged and unliveable, with a gas main rupture complicating firefighting.
• A specialist fire investigator is conducting an inquiry to determine the cause.

Three dogs were killed in a fire that gutted a house in Lytton Rd on Saturday morning.

The fire broke out about 1am in a house overlooking Nelson Park, alongside Lytton Rd.

Parts of the brick home were a blackened shambles, and part of the roof had collapsed. Photo / Murray Robertson

The people who lived there were not home at the time.

The dogs were housed in a covered outdoor living area, adjacent to the home.

Neighbours said they smelt smoke and then the fire erupted.

Trudi Hicklin, the Fire and Emergency NZ community risk manager for Tairāwhiti, said a crew arrived to find the house “well involved in fire”.

Specialist fire investigators were at the scene on Monday. Photo / Murray Robertson

“They immediately got to work with multiple deliveries, and a fire monitor to protect the neighbouring house.”

The neighbouring house was not damaged.

“A domestic gas main ruptured during the fire, which made firefighting more difficult. We couldn’t put firefighters inside until the gas was turned off.”

Hicklin said the house was 100% fire-damaged.

“It’s unliveable and will have to be rebuilt,” she said.

The last crew left the property about 5.30am.

Crews from Gisborne city, Manutūkē, Patutahi and Te Karaka fought the fire.

“The cause has yet to be determined,“ Hicklin told the Gisborne Herald.

A specialist fire investigator has an inquiry under way.