Okoia car fire: Person suffers minor burns, taken to hospital

One person suffered minor burns and was taken to hospital after a car fire in Okoia near Whanganui.

Firefighters were called to the fire about 5.30pm on Thursday.

The car fire spread to nearby vegetation on Riverbank Rd and a water tanker was brought in.

A person at the scene was transported to Whanganui Hospital for treatment of minor burns.

“The car was parked up on the river bank when it caught fire,” Whanganui senior station officer Craig Gardiner said.

The fire was not treated as suspicious.

Gardiner said it had been “quite a busy night” for the Whanganui Fire Station on Thursday and off-duty firefighters had to come in to support the crews.

Ratana Volunteer Fire Brigade assisted.

A garage fire that destroyed valuables at a Castlecliff property is under investigation.

The fire began about 1.38am on February 23.

“The fire investigator is due to come in this morning to carry that out.”

The 3x6m dwelling was “fully involved” when fire services arrived.

“There were items lost in the fire that were of value to the people; they were upset about it, as you would be,” Gardiner said.

Firefighters were also called to a house full of smoke in Fordell.

Eva de Jong is a reporter for the Whanganui Chronicle covering health stories and general news. She began as a reporter in 2023.