Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Suspicious fire razes home in Omapere Rd, Kaikohe, after threats made to occupant

Peter de Graaf
Reporter·Northern Advocate·
24 May, 2021 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Fire investigator Craig Bain and a detective from Kaikohe police examine the ruins of the Omapere Rd home. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Fire investigator Craig Bain and a detective from Kaikohe police examine the ruins of the Omapere Rd home. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Threats were made against a woman and two young children shortly before their home was destroyed by fire, the Advocate understands.

Police and Fire and Emergency are investigating the blaze that razed a Housing New Zealand home on Omapere Rd, Kaikohe, early on Monday morning.

Fire safety officer Craig Bain confirmed the fire, which started on the ground floor at the front of the house, was suspicious.

No one was home when the fire started around 2.45am.

Part of the house was still standing yesterday but was in danger of collapsing.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bain was waiting for a Far North District Council building inspector to declare it dangerous so it could be demolished.

The remains of a child's bicycle in the home's burnt-out garage. Photo / Peter de Graaf
The remains of a child's bicycle in the home's burnt-out garage. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The house was just metres away from three other homes, two of which sustained minor damage.

Bain commended the Kaikohe volunteer firefighters who saved neighbouring homes by directing water on to them as soon as they arrived.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Kerikeri and Ōkaihau brigades also responded with volunteers relieved by a paid crew from Whangārei at 6am.

The two-storey A-frame house was home to a woman and two grandchildren, aged around 3 and 8.

The Advocate understands they left earlier that night after a man made a threat to burn the house down.

Fire safety officer Craig Bain at the scene of the Omapere Rd house fire. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Fire safety officer Craig Bain at the scene of the Omapere Rd house fire. Photo / Peter de Graaf

Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston, of Northland CIB, said police were ''following strong lines of inquiry''.

Discover more

Maungatūroto volunteer firefighter gearing up for Sky Tower Challenge

19 May 05:00 PM
New Zealand

'This has to stop': Northland town on edge over fears of serial arsonist

18 May 05:00 PM
New Zealand

'Just helping each other out': Neighbours' desperate efforts to save woman from fire

04 May 05:01 PM
New Zealand

130-year-old Northland icon destroyed by fire

30 Apr 05:00 PM

Officers had been going door to door talking to neighbours and were examining CCTV footage.

He could not comment further while the investigation was continuing.

A neighbour, who did not want to be identified, said three of his windows had cracked from the heat and guttering had melted. His car had also been damaged.

He was woken up by a nephew from nearby Williams Rd banging on his bedroom window.

Another family member, who was ''a bit of a night owl'', had seen the flames and raised the alarm.

''I walked outside and saw the house was completely ablaze. I called 111 but they said the brigade was already on their way. I was worried about the people in the house until I saw her car was gone.''

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The flames were blowing towards his home, he said.

''The wind was crazy, it just fuelled the fire.''

''It's a bloody sad situation. I'm just glad the kids weren't there and no one was hurt.''

The man said his neighbour was badly shaken and staying with friends until Housing NZ arranged alternative accommodation.

It is at least the seventh house destroyed by fire in the Far North so far this year.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

‘Things are changing’: Te Pāti Māori MP suddenly removed from role, addresses Ferris' post

11 Sep 07:27 AM
Northern Advocate

Elderly couple tricked into handing over bank cards not the only people at risk: Netsafe

11 Sep 05:30 AM
Northern Advocate

'First redress': Crown move signals shift in Ngāpuhi settlement talks

11 Sep 01:37 AM

Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

‘Things are changing’: Te Pāti Māori MP suddenly removed from role, addresses Ferris' post
Northern Advocate

‘Things are changing’: Te Pāti Māori MP suddenly removed from role, addresses Ferris' post

'It’s a decision made by our leadership,' says MP of her removal as TPM whip.

11 Sep 07:27 AM
Elderly couple tricked into handing over bank cards not the only people at risk: Netsafe
Northern Advocate

Elderly couple tricked into handing over bank cards not the only people at risk: Netsafe

11 Sep 05:30 AM
'First redress': Crown move signals shift in Ngāpuhi settlement talks
Northern Advocate

'First redress': Crown move signals shift in Ngāpuhi settlement talks

11 Sep 01:37 AM


Kiwi campaign keeps on giving
Sponsored

Kiwi campaign keeps on giving

07 Sep 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP