Fire in hot tub in Rangitīkei town reportedly started by heating source

Firefighters were called to a fire in a hot tub in Bulls in the early hours of Monday.

A fire in a hot tub in Bulls is believed to have been started by a nearby heating source.

Fire and Emergency NZ shift manager Belinda Beets said crews went to “a hot tub fire ... that was a spa pool or something similar” at a Parewanui Rd property at 3.29am on Monday.

Two fire trucks from Bulls and a tanker from Marton attended.

Beets said the fire was “believed to have been started by a heating source adjacent to the tub”.

She said “most of them [hot tubs] have wood surrounds”, which could have been the reason for the fire spreading.

When firefighters arrived at the house, the fire was 90% out: “It obviously wasn’t too bad.

“We extinguished the fire and gave advice to the occupant,” Beets said.

Crews remained at the scene for about an hour to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.

All crews had left by 4.30am.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.