Bach gutted but neighbours' homes saved

Fire destroyed a holiday home at Poutu.

The quick actions of firefighters saved two properties from going up in flames after a holiday home in the middle of them was razed.

A fire investigator was at the scene in Signal Station Rd, Pouto, yesterday sifting through the charred rubble in a bid to establish what sparked the blaze. Police were also in the coastal village talking with residents.

The alarm was raised about 11pm on Wednesday when flames were spotted coming from the property that was thought to be last visited by the owner about six weeks ago.

When firefighters from the Te Kopuru volunteer brigade arrived the house, which overlooks the Kaipara Harbour, was fully engulfed by flames, so they turned their attention to properties on either side.

"It was on the ground when we arrived so we had to deal with the houses on either side where the gutters were melting and the windows were smashing because of the heat," senior station officer Darren Searle said.

Two volunteer crews from Dargaville arrived as well.

Fire investigator Craig Bain was trying to establish where and how the fire started in the split level property.

Detective Andrew Bailey said there had been several fires, mainly scrub, in the area but this was the second holiday home in the past 12 months that had been destroyed. An electrical fault was thought to be the cause of the previous property blaze.

He said the fire acted as a reminder for holiday home owners to ensure their properties were secure and to turn off the power if they were not going to be used for a long period.

He also urged owners to get locals to keep an eye on vacant properties.