A police officer was heard saying over a speaker: “You need to come out now. Your family is very worried about you.”
Neighbours were seen comforting each other.
Emergency services are responding to a serious incident in Christchurch this afternoon. Photo / George HeardPolice confirmed they were notified of a house fire at 3.10pm.
“The woman was the sole occupant of the house and refused to leave when emergency services arrived,” Inspector Paul Reeves said.
“While there was no risk to the wider community, cordons were put in place around the house to enable emergency services to work safely at the scene.”
Multiple fire engines, police cars and ambulances attended the incident in Sockburn. Photo / George HeardA large crowd of onlookers, including many children, gathered at the cordons on Epsom Rd.
One local said it’s a “very quiet and respectable neighbourhood”.
Reeves said officers “spent some time engaging with the woman and she was safely taken into custody at 4.55pm”.
Police later confirmed the woman lit the house on fire herself and refused to come out “for quite some time”.
A major police operation is under way in ChristchurchA spokesman for Hato Hone St John confirmed they were on the scene with two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle.
“Four patients were assessed, with three of those [who were in a minor condition] treated at the scene,” they said.
“The fourth was transported to Christchurch Hospital in a serious condition.”
Epsom Rd has been blocked off as emergency services deal with the situation. Photo / George Heard