Tea towels are blamed for blaze

Spontaneously combusting tea towels are being blamed for a fire in Northland.

Spontaneously combusting tea towels are thought to have sparked a blaze that damaged the housekeeping area of a Northland-based luxury resort and left six rooms smoke damaged.

The fire at Peppers Carrington Resort, on Karikari Peninsula, started in a pile of folded tea towels in a fish bin about 6.30pm on Monday. A fire investigator says the incident was a timely reminder to ensure clothes dried in a drier are thoroughly cooled before they are folded and stored.

Fire investigator Terry Baylis said after an initial examination of the scene it appeared tea towels taken from a drier and folded had started the blaze. A series of chemical reactions between the heat generated from the drier, the washing powder and oil residues on the tea towels had combined and resulted in combustion.

"This is not uncommon and can happen at home. Anyone using a drier should make sure they use the cooling cycle before they store their washing."

He had checked wiring to a hot-water cylinder but said the seat of the fire was where the tea towels had been stacked. Two teams of volunteer firefighters from Mangonui and members of the Karikari rural fire party were called to the resort. Mangonui chief fire officer Anthony Pedersen said the housekeeping area was in a basement so was contained but plenty of smoke was generated.

"You couldn't even see your hand in front of your face."

The brigade had been called to a vehicle crash near Taipa so when they got the call to go to Carrington it had taken off 15 minutes' travelling time.

"It was lucky we were on the road because the fire was taking hold. We were able to contain it."

Carrington Resort manager Cliff Wan said guests staying at the resort had been in the restaurant at the time the fire started. They were never in danger and had been moved to other rooms.

Yesterday the smoke-damaged rooms were being aired and would be commercially cleaned before they were used again.

The resort was still operating as normal.

"Most of the damage is in the housekeeping area where the staff also had a table."

Peppers Carrington Resort is located on a 3,000 acre estate, with 4km of white sand coastline on Karikari Beach.