Old garage gutted

Firefighters from Manutuke and Gisborne battled a blaze that ripped through the former Oxbrow Garage in Whakato Road at Manutuke on Monday afternoon. The old garage was gutted, but they were able to save a neighbouring house that was only five metres away from the flames. Picture by Liam Clayton

The former service station in Whakato Road at Manutuke caught fire on Monday afternoon with the plume of smoke from the major fire visible from Gisborne.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand sent crews from Gisborne and Manutuke to the blaze at around 2.45pm that afternoon.

The Manutuke Volunteer Fire Brigade’s crew, with their station house less than 100 metres away, were there first.

“The building was fully involved in fire when we got there, and parts of the roof had already collapsed,” said Manutuke Senior Station Officer Karl Scragg.

The service station was originally called the Oxbrow Garage, and had been unoccupied for many years, possibly since the late 1970s, early ‘80s.

“Our crew’s first job was to establish a water supply, and they tapped into a nearby hydrant.

“Then they focused on protecting the house next door, which was situated only about five metres away from the burning garage,” SSO  Scragg said.

“The four firefighters in the Manutuke crew managed to do that, and save the house.

“There was no damage to it at all, apart from a bit of soot.”

SSO Scragg rushed out to the fire scene from his workplace in the city to be with his crew.

“The wind was against us, blowing the flames towards the house, so we would call it a good save for sure.”

He and his crew were there until about 6pm on Monday night dampening down.

“The garage was extensively damaged — gutted,” said Gisborne Senior Station Officer Bernie Bull.

“The Manutuke volunteers did a very good job prior to the Gisborne and Patutahi crews arriving.

“The strong wind added to the rapid spread of the fire through the garage,” SSO Bull said.

“We’re not 100 percent sure how it started at this stage.

“A specialist fire investigator was called in to look into the cause, and at this stage it remains undetermined.”