Home, boat destroyed by fire

Firefighters feared the worst when they attended a callout to Te Rahu Road on Saturday morning and found a house well engulfed.

The fire had been called in by neighbours and firefighters could not immediately ascertain whether anyone was in the house or sleepout.

Police also attended and treated the area as a crime scene until they were sure no-one
was inside. They said it seemed evident the parents were out, but the whereabouts of two girls was not immediately known.

St John Ambulance attended as a precaution and the road was closed for a short time.

Firefighters conducted a search as soon as the blaze was under control and where able to assure police the house and sleepout were empty.

Soon after the male owner and his daughter attended and were able to confirm the family was out when the fire started.
Waikato fire safety officer Todd O’Donoghue says while his investigations are continuing, it initially appears as if the
blaze was related to an electrical fault.

The fire caused extreme damage to the home and contents and destroyed an aluminium boat in the basement garage.