Neighbour alerts woman to house fire

Firefighters at a house in the Watea subdivision near Haruru Falls that was destroyed by a blaze which started in the garage. Photo / Lindy Laird

A neighbour may have saved the life of a woman after he raised the alarm that her house was on fire.

The house in the Watea subdivision near Haruru Falls was destroyed in the blaze yesterday morning that had started in a car parked in the garage.

Fire safety officer Craig Bain said the fire quickly spread from the car into the garage and then into the roof cavity of the house.

Neighbours on one side of the house said they knew nothing about the fire until they heard explosions soon before 9.30am.

By the time they got outside to see what had caused them, flames were shooting out of the roof of the house. The alarm had been raised a short time earlier by another neighbour who saw flames coming from the garage, rushed across and banged on the door in case anyone was in the house. His actions alerted the woman who was still inside.

The extensive fire was soon brought under control by firefighters from Paihia, Kerikeri, Kawakawa and Kaikohe, although pockets of fire continued to burn under the collapsed roof.

Several explosions, thought to be from the burning car, had rocked the neighbourhood before the firefighters arrived.

Jeanette Galloway who lives one street away from the Halkyard Loop property said she had seen and smelt smoke minutes before hearing those loud bangs.

Another neighbour said that earlier in the morning the owner of the house had been unable to start his car before work. He had left the car in the garage.