Two suspected Gisborne arsons: Vehicle fire damages house in Stout St

Police are investigating an arson attack on a Jeep Patriot in Stout St and an unrelated arson attack involving a vehicle parked in the driveway of a Heta Rd property.

By Murray Robertson

Gisborne police are investigating two vehicle fires both believed to be arson after a burning SUV almost set a house alight in Stout St and a car fire in a Kaiti driveway.

A man’s quick thinking with a garden hose is believed to have stopped a blazing vehicle fire consuming a Gisborne home on Monday.

Police are investigating the Jeep Patriot SUV fire, believed to be arson.

Fire and Emergency NZ received 111 calls on Tuesday about 4.15am to a property between Elsthorpe Ave and Atkinson St on Stout St.

“The SUV was fully involved when we got there, and it was gutted,” a senior firefighter said.

Flames were beginning to burn the nearby house and a fence.

“Luckily the people in the home realised ... and a man in the house grabbed a garden house. He was able to stop the fire from taking hold of the adjacent dwelling.”

“His quick thinking with the hose probably saved that house.”

The senior firefighter said the family living there escaped safely.

“There were smoke alarms going off inside the home when we arrived.”

The house had “superficial” exterior damage, the senior firefighter said.

Crews extinguished the fire in about 10 minutes.

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Moorhouse said the fire was “deliberately started in the vehicle”.

“There was no apparent motive for it.”

There have been no arrests.

Moorhouse said police wantedto hear from anyonein the area at the time who could provide information.

He said the occupants of the house had to relocate and were assessing their options on Tuesday.

In the second incident, Fenz was called to a Heta Rd property, inner Kaiti, at 6am yesterday when a car parked in the driveway caught fire.

“That fire has also been treated as suspicious and police were called in,” the senior firefighter said.

“We found a small fire burning at the rear of the vehicle when we arrived.”

It was dealt with before it could spread further in the vehicle.

Moorhouse said the Heta Rd incident was also believed to be arson but was not related to what happened in Stout St.

“We have an investigation in progress.

“As with the Stout Street incident, we would appreciate any assistance from anyone who was in the Heta Road area at the time yesterday morning and can assist us with our inquiries.”