Fire sparked by matresses over heating vents

Fire tore through a marae at Opotiki College after mattresses were left over underfloor heating vents. Photo / Fire Service

Lives could have been lost in a fire caused by mattresses being placed over under-floor heating vents in a school marae, the fire service says.

Bay of Plenty Fire Service risk management officer Jon Rewi said 40 teenagers had a narrow escape when a fire tore through part of Opotiki College on Saturday night.

"The school had 40 students who were set up to sleep in the wharenui and an adjacent room. The tables and chairs had been pushed across some emergency exits and mattresses laid out on the floors ? blocking other exits," Mr Rewi said.

"The mattresses were placed over under-floor heating vents and as a result of the overheating, the floor of the wharenui caught fire."

A working fire alarm system did not appear to have been in place and instead a caretaker was alerted when the burglar alarm motion sensor detected the rapidly spreading flames, Mr Rewi said.

"Luckily the students were out of the two buildings at the time. A few hours later and, without an early warning system, those in the wharenui would have been trapped inside, unable to escape out the exits. There almost certainly would have been fatalities."

The blocked exits also made it difficult for the first firefighters to get inside and the fire caused extensive damage to the wharenui, Mr Rewi said.

The incident should serve as a warning to other schools and marae to double check their fire safety systems and put in place a careful fire safety plan before hosting overnight stays, he said.

The local Fire Service could always be asked for advice, he said.