Burning substance may have started house fire

A burning substance inside a glass container is thought to be the possible cause of a fire at a Hastings house which police believe concealed a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory.
Three men were yesterday committed for trial on a joint charge of attempting to manufacture methamphetamine, also known as "P', at the house, following a depositions hearing at the Hastings District Court.
Paul Ashley Chadwick, 40, beneficiary, of Upper Hutt, is jointly charged with Hastings man Brian Te Whiti Harmer, 42, unemployed, and Mark Jeffery Russell, 41, lawn mower, of Napier.
Harmer is also charged with knowingly permitting the property at 1027 Kauri Place to be used for the attempted manufacture of methamphetamine.
Emergency services were called to Kauri Place on the afternoon of September 25 last year after an explosion and fire at the house rented by Harmer.
In written evidence, firefighter and senior station officer Robert Karaitiana said after examining the scene, he suspected a substance inside a glass container had caught fire. One of the occupants had possibly picked up the container while it was on fire and moved it across the room, dripping the burning substance on themselves or other items in the room, before throwing it out the window.
Mr Karaitiana later found the broken remains of a glass container near a shed at the back of the house. The shed had also been damaged by fire.
Mr Karaitiana said firefighters found glassware, pots and various containers in the house's bath.
In another room they found a heating appliance still connected to a wall power outlet, along with a wooden platform with more glassware and powder-like substances sitting on it.
Hastings man Roderick Tahu told the court of being in the house when the fire broke out. On the afternoon of September 25 he heard a knock on the door, and heard people talking to Harmer.
Although he did not see them, Mr Tahu said he heard the people go to the upstairs floor of the house. Later he heard furniture being moved and hammering. Mr Tahu said Harmer told him he "didn't need to know" what was going on upstairs.
When the fire alarms went off Mr Tahu left the building and saw the other men come out. He said one of the men was badly injured.
"He'd been burnt in the face, his clothes had been burnt and he didn't know his surroundings" he said.
Under cross-examination from lawyers Tony Snell and Steve Manning, acting for the three accused, Mr Tahu conceded people could have entered and exited the house without him knowing.
Both Mr Snell and Mr Manning conceded a prima facie case to answer on the charges, and the three men were remanded on bail to appear in the High Court at Napier on May 31. All three entered not guilty pleas.
Chadwick was subject to high court bail, while Harmer and Russell were granted bail under residency conditions and an order not to associate with their co-accused.