Locals dig in for family's fire loss

The family managed to escape without injury but the house and most of the possessions inside were destroyed. Photo / Stephen Parker

The generosity of the Reporoa community is again in the spotlight as residents and schools rally to support a family who have lost everything in a fire - the second house fire in the region in less than three weeks.

Emergency services were called to the fire in a single storey weatherboard home near the settlement shortly before 6am on Wednesday.

The family of five living at the house, which is on a 130ha farm owned by Tim Karl, were asleep when fire broke out in their garage.

Mr Karl said the family's dog was barking and had woken them, alerting them to the fire.

"The fire was huge, first the shed was up in flames and then the house caught fire too," he said.

The family managed to escape without injury but the house and most of the possessions inside were destroyed. The family were now staying with relations in Taupo.

Since the fire, the family has been flooded with donations of clothing, food and blankets from the community.

Connie Karl said people had been dropping off items to the property or calling in to ask how they could help the family.

Those helping out included the family's neighbours, Reporoa College and Reporoa Primary School, among others, she said.

"It's been overwhelming, the whole community has been trying to help them in any way they can."

This is not the first time the community has banded together to help those in need.

Earlier this month, Rylee and husband Newton Hinton, and their three children, lost their home and possessions when a fire broke out on their Allen Rd property.

Mrs Hinton said the family were still going through a tough time, but it had been eased by the kindness of the Reporoa community.

Bags of clothes, blankets, toys, bedding and towels have been donated to the family by the community, she said.

Fundraising has taken in more than $6800 for the family, with mufti days at Reporoa College and Broadlands School raising a total of about $2000.

"The generosity that has been shown is just amazing. It means everything to us, there's no way we would have coped without it."

A fundraising page has been set up at www.givealittle.co.nz