Te Karaka dwelling destroyed by fire

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

A GARAGE that had been converted into a dwelling was destroyed by fire in Kanakanaia Road on the outskirts of Te Karaka last night. The cause is under investigation.

Fire and Emergency NZ crews from Te Karaka, Whatatutu, and Patutahi responded, with a tanker from Gisborne and a rural fire tanker joining them just before midnight.

Firefighters from Te Karaka were the first to arrive.

“The single-storey dwelling was well involved when we got there, with flames out most of the windows and through the roof,” said Te Karaka chief fire officer Jamie Simpson.

It was too dangerous to enter the building due to the state of the roof and floor, he said. “So we attacked the fire from the outside.”

The building measured about eight metres by eight metres.

CFO Simpson said there was nothing they could do to save it.

“The building was pretty much destroyed.

“It's not clear if anyone was living there.”

Firefighters were able to protect a nearby shed from the fire.

A specialist fire investigator and police began an inquiry this morning.

“At this stage it is not being treated as suspicious.”

The fire crews were there for about three hours making sure the fire was completely out.