Suspicious fire on porch

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

THE flicker of flames on a front porch alerted a Ranfurly Street resident last night, who went outside in time to find a couch against the wall of his home on fire. The incident is considered suspicious.

The fire service received a 111 call from the man at about 12.30am and sent an appliance to the scene.

“The guy was watching television in his lounge when he happened to notice a flickering glow outside on the front porch,” said Station Officer Chris Grimson.

“He went outside to investigate and found a couch on the porch alight.”

The man managed to drag the burning couch off the porch and on to the front lawn.

“He had some superficial burns to one of his hands and was treated at the scene by a St John ambulance crew,” SO Grimson said.

“About a square metre of the wall behind the couch was damaged, with blistered paint. But apart from that there was no damage to the home.

“It was fortunate the man was awake and saw the fire starting,” SO Grimson said.

Police and a fire safety investigator have an inquiry under way.

“The cause of the fire is treated as suspicious.”