Darfield fire crews save rare 1929 vintage car from Canterbury blaze

A piece of automotive history, a nearly century-old vintage car, has been saved from the flames of a Canterbury fire.

Chris Redmond received a call from his neighbour yesterday morning about a fire on his property in Darfield.

Chris Redmond was alerted by a neighbour to the fire on his Darfield property. Photo / Jazlyn Whales

Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews from Darfield, Darfield South, Kirwee, Sheffield, Coalgate, Cust and other rural areas west of Christchurch, including the city, responded to the blaze.

The fire started just before 10am, destroying three structures and taking down several trees before it was contained around 12.45pm.

The damage caused after a fire in Canterbury yesterday. Photo / Jazlyn Whales

The main house, which Redmond grew up in, was not impacted by the fire.

Today, Redmond praised the firefighters for their quick response, which saved his vintage 1929 Taege car.

Fire crew members drove the prized possession out of a 150-year-old shed, which also narrowly escaped being destroyed by the blaze.

A vintage car was driven out of a 150-year-old shed by firefighters to save it from being engulfed by flames. Photo / Jazlyn Whales

Two pigs also got away unscathed and were protected by the safety of their nearby stable.

Two lucky pigs were unscathed by the fire in Darfield. Photo / Jazlyn Whales

Redmond said it wasn’t until later in the day that the reality of the damage set in.

“I woke up at 1am or 2am and came out here, it just felt like a ghost town,” he said.

The clean-up had started on Wednesday, with a large amount of damaged scrap metal needing to be taken away.

The fire started just before 10am Tuesday, destroying three structures and taking down several trees before it was contained. Photo / Jazlyn Whales

Resident Dean Jenkins said he and others were among the first on the scene when the blaze broke out.

Jenkins described hearing several large explosions while standing about 100m from the fire.

“You could feel it through your body,” he said.

“There were some pretty decent explosions in there. I think it was all the fridges, they have those gas canisters in them.

“It’s pretty impressive.”

Fire crews battling Tuesday's blaze in rural Canterbury. Photo / Dean Jenkins

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson yesterday said they were alerted to a fire in trees at a property near Darfield at 9.59am.

“Thirteen trucks from Darfield, Kirwee, Sheffield, Hororata, Dunsandel, Rolleston, Cust, Coalgate and Christchurch, and one helicopter, are responding.”

Three structures had been lost to fire, they confirmed.

“The public are advised to avoid the area while crews work,” the spokesperson said.

“Anyone impacted by smoke from the fire should stay inside with their windows and doors closed.”

A fire investigator arrived at the property yesterday afternoon.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.