Fire reignites in Kaipara home, destroys house and car

A “lovely” Kaipara family has lost their home and car after an extinguished fire reignited during renovations.

About 30 firefighters from six brigades were called to the house in Aratapu, south of Dargaville, about 2.30am on Monday.

The house and car were completely engulfed by the fire when crews from Te Kopuru, Dargaville, Ruawai, Whangārei, Paparoa and Hikurangi arrived.

Crews had the blaze under control by 4am, and no injuries were reported.

Fire and Emergency investigator Greg Hartwell said Monday’s fire had not been the first at the home which had been undergoing renovations.

Smoke alarms had alerted the home owner to a fire in a bedroom on Saturday.

Hartwell said the man managed to put the fire out himself.

The man had stayed at the property over the weekend to keep an eye on his home.

But the fire reignited during the early hours of Monday after the man had left.

“It’s a total loss,” Hartwell said.

“I feel for the guy, he’s a lovely person, a lovely family.”

Hartwell said the man had been more worried about his neighbours than his own home.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Hartwell said the fire was a timely reminder of the importance of smoke alarms, which likely saved the man’s life after the first fire.

He encouraged people to call 111 at the first sight of any fire.

Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.