A Rotorua family have lost everything, including their 8-week-old puppy, after a fire ripped through their home on Saturday morning.
Owner Tony Kerrison was out at the supermarket with his partner Hayley Flowers and their 2-year-old son Braiden Kerrison when the blaze started in the downstairs section of their ThackerayPl home. Miss Flowers said they considered themselves very lucky under the circumstances.
"We had gone to the supermarket for about 45 minutes and we were just calling in at another supermarket when we got the call from our neighbour. The whole downstairs is gone.
"We pretty much lost everything, including our puppy Ella. She was a Lab-cross, and only 8-weeks-old. But we were pretty lucky," she said.
"My partner owns the house and he has insurance. We are going to be staying with his mum, she is helping us out until the insurance kicks in, which could be three or four months.
"My friend's place burned down not long ago, and I felt really bad for her, now it's happened to us."
Mr Kerrison said it's heartbreaking seeing the aftermath.
"We've been here five years now. We've put so much time and money into the place to get it the way we wanted it, and now it's all gone. And what's still here has been ruined by smoke damage. It's devastating."
Tony Kerrison and his partner Hayley Flowers popped out to the supermarket and came home to find their home completely gutted. Photo / Ben Fraser
Rotorua Fire Service senior station officer Cameron McEwen said although the cause is still yet to be confirmed, they are not treating it as suspicious.
"We believe it started with an ember coming out of the downstairs fire place and catching the box of wood that was sitting nearby. We have done our bit and we are convinced that nothing untoward occurred, it's just one of those unfortunate accidents."
Mr McEwen is warning people to be aware of the dangers associated with winter heating.
"When it comes in to winter, people tend to go into hibernation mode. They shut themselves away in their home and stoke up the fire and can get quite complacent."
