Smoke from roof leads to calls to firefighters, house saved

Quick calls to Fire and Emergency NZ meant firefighters were able to save a house in Ormond Road near Elsthorpe Avenue yesterday morning after a fire started in the ceiling space of the unoccupied home. A specialist fire investigator has been called in to establish how it got started. Picture by Liam Clayton

Alert passersby and neighbours made the difference yesterday morning when they saw smoke coming from the roof area of a house in Ormond Road and firefighters got there in time to stop a fire inside from spreading.

The alarm was raised at around 6.55am yesterday.

Fire and Emergency NZ sent two appliances and a support vehicle to the scene.

The crews found a fire going in the ceiling void of the unoccupied, flat-roofed house.

“We had to force entry to get inside because there was no one living there,” a senior firefighter said.

“Once inside with breathing apparatus we tackled the fire in the ceiling space with a low pressure delivery and a couple of hose lines.

“It was controlled pretty quickly, but it took about 45 minutes to make sure it was completely out.”

The senior firefighter said there was fire damage caused in the ceiling void and the timber structure.

“It appeared to have started some how in the ceiling towards the front of the house,” he said.

“Exactly how it got started is under investigation.” A specialist fire investigator has been called in.