Waikato Herald
  • Waikato Herald home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Lifestyle
  • Lotto results

Locations

  • Hamilton
  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Matamata & Piako
  • Cambridge
  • Te Awamutu
  • Tokoroa & South Waikato
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Weather

  • Thames
  • Hamilton
  • Tokoroa
  • Taumarunui
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Waikato News

Tokoroa fire: Fire and Emergency crews called to ‘well-involved’ blaze

Maryana Garcia
By Maryana Garcia
Multimedia Journalist·Waikato Herald·
31 Jul, 2024 03:37 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
The Black Ferns women's sevens side has struck gold in Paris, and an autopsy is underway on the remains of who police believe is Yanfei Bao. Video / NZ Herald / Getty

When Piri Kautai arrived at his Tokoroa home after a trip to the shops this morning he found the house in flames.

“The fire people were putting it out,” Kautai told the Waikato Herald.

“The intensity of the fire burned a hole in the wall of the storeroom.”

Kautai, 85, said the property has been in his family’s ownership since about 1958. Kautai then spent 40 years living in Auckland before returning to Tokoroa.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“I came back in 2003. I’ve been here since and I’m the only occupier of the house.”

Kautai said he wanted people to know he was safe and no one had been hurt.

“Tell the people that I’m safe and going on plan B,” Kautai said.

“Luckily for me it’s covered by insurance.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Kautai said he was hoping to live in the garage temporarily.

“I want to make sure no one gets into the house,” Kautai said.

Piri Kautai, 85, returned home from a trip to the shops to find his home on fire. Photo / John Van de Ven
Piri Kautai, 85, returned home from a trip to the shops to find his home on fire. Photo / John Van de Ven

“It’ll mean bathing down in the swimming pool and takeaways. But I’m 85 years old. I’ve got plan Bs and Cs and all that.”

“Luckily spring is approaching which helps.”

Kautai said he’d been advised not to touch anything in the house until after an insurance assessment was made.

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said crews went to a “well-involved” house fire after 11.05am.

”It’s since been extinguished,” the spokesperson said.”We still have two fire trucks in attendance and the fire investigator has just arrived as well.”

The spokesperson said there were no injuries reported.

Police are helping with traffic management at the scene.

Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Waikato News

Waikato Herald

'He was into it': Accountant on stag do smashes glass over victim's head during pub fight

Waikato Herald

Tainui waka, iwi to mark first anniversary of Māori Queen's koroneihana this week

Waikato Herald

'Trust and respect': DairyNZ leaders reappointed unopposed


Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Waikato News

'He was into it': Accountant on stag do smashes glass over victim's head during pub fight
Waikato Herald

'He was into it': Accountant on stag do smashes glass over victim's head during pub fight

The chartered accountant took exception to the victim pouring his drink on him.

01 Sep 08:00 AM
Tainui waka, iwi to mark first anniversary of Māori Queen's koroneihana this week
Waikato Herald

Tainui waka, iwi to mark first anniversary of Māori Queen's koroneihana this week

01 Sep 03:42 AM
'Trust and respect': DairyNZ leaders reappointed unopposed
Waikato Herald

'Trust and respect': DairyNZ leaders reappointed unopposed

31 Aug 11:16 PM


Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet
Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

10 Aug 09:12 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Waikato Herald e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Waikato Herald
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP