Te Kaha family home ‘totally gutted’ by fire

A two-bedroom family home in Te Kaha was gutted by fire on Saturday, August 5. Photo / File

A Te Kaha couple’s home quickly became “pretty much ashes” after a fire ripped through their two-bedroom home on Saturday night.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand received a report of a house on fire off State Highway 35, between Te Kaha and Te Kopua, about 10pm.

Waihau Bay station fire chief Percy Rimaha said he and fellow long-standing volunteer Mike Benton were the first firefighters to arrive at the property.

“When we arrived around 10.30 pm there was a police officer already on the scene. The initial fear was the occupants may still be inside the house.”

Fortunately, no one was at home and everyone was safe, he said.

“Sadly, there was little we could do as the house was very heavily involved on arrival and quickly became pretty much ashes. It was totally gutted. "

Ōpōtiki chief fire officer Rowan Newell said the fire quickly “ripped” through the house and was “well-involved” when firefighters arrived.

He said he believed the fire was caused by an electrical fault in a gas-powered water heater called a Califont.

Newell said, unfortunately, the couple who owned the home were not insured and it was unknown whether there were smoke alarms installed.

Volunteer firefighters from Ōpōtiki and Waihau Bay stations attended the blaze.