Caretaker's home burns down

Don Speak could only watch as his home burned. Photo / Peter De Graaf

Pensioner Don Speak could only watch helplessly from the hall where he had been playing bowls as his house burned down just across the road.

The Northland blaze gave firefighters anxious moments as they rushed to Waipapa Loop Rd, off State Highway 10, because of initial reports its elderly occupant was trapped inside.

The weatherboard house was destroyed about 7.45pm on Monday but its 72-year-old owner, Mr Speak, was unharmed. He had been taking part in regular Monday night bowls at the Waipapa Community Hall just metres from his home.

Two appliances and a tanker from Kerikeri Fire Brigade spent more than two hours putting out the blaze, then checking for hotspots using a thermal imaging camera.

A fire investigator arrived about 10pm to sift through what was left of the house for clues.

Mr Speak, a keen collector who lost a lifetime's possessions in the blaze, has been offered a place to stay by bowling club friends.

Friends and neighbours have been gathering items, such as clothing and food, for him.

It is understood the house was insured but not its contents.

Kerikeri fire chief Les Wasson said Mr Speak's house had been burning fiercely when firefighters arrived.

Once it was established Mr Speak was safe, Mr Wasson's concerns shifted to the electricity substation next door. Fortunately, the wind was blowing in the opposite direction.

Mr Speak, a well-liked Waipapa identity and the community hall's volunteer caretaker, was left with only the clothes he wore. The loss likely to upset him most was his collection of books and memorabilia.

Friends were yesterday helping Mr Speak replace his driver's licence and other documents, and took him to hospital for a check-up.

His plight triggered an outpouring of offers of help on the Advocate and Northland Grapevine Facebook pages, and they are being co-ordinated by Nikki Ferris, a family friend through bowls, and Susi and Mal Liddington, who own Waipapa Auto Court across the road from his home.

Mrs Ferris said medium size, warm clothes would be useful, but otherwise it was too early to say what was needed. Any future requirements would be listed on Facebook or in the Advocate, and could be dropped off at her home in Kerikeri (call 021 121 4366) or at Waipapa Auto Court (09 407 6430).

Fire investigator Craig Bain said he was confident the cause of the fire was a multibox in the lounge. He urged Northlanders not to overload multiboxes and to ditch them once they got old.