Dave Letele has supplied home furnishings and other goods to a Tokoroa whānau who lost everything last week in a house fire. Photo / Supplied
Dave Letele has supplied home furnishings and other goods to a Tokoroa whānau who lost everything last week in a house fire. Photo / Supplied
A dad of 12 who saved his children from a house blaze says smoke alarms and divine intervention acted as a korowai to save his and his tamariki’s lives.
Nooroa Paora, 43, today spoke about the fire at his Tokoroa home last week and how he had only just got his tamariki to safety before the roof collapsed right on top of where his children had slept moments beforehand.
Emergency services were called to a blaze in the South Waikato District at 4.49am, Wednesday, April 26. Today they confirmed the blaze was sparked by an electrical fault.
“This was an electric fire. It was caused by either the HRV fan or wiring in the home, we were not able to confirm which was the exact cause as they were both in the same area that the fire started,” a FENZ spokesperson said.
Paora said the three smoke alarms were deafening and water was everywhere.
“It is a miracle that we all made it out alive,” Paora said.
“It was an unreal feeling. The three smoke alarms were making so much noise and the kids were scared. It was pitch black and I had to smash alarms so we could hear what was going on and get to safety.
“I always believe in miracles and God. My dad was a minister, so we have always believed.”
A week after the fire, Paora said the children were still coming to terms with the situation.
“It was a shock for the kids, and they are still suffering nightmares,” he said.
“Some of the kids were sitting there in shock not knowing what to do.
“I had to clear a way for us to get out. The water was starting to fill the house.
“I’ve seen the comments from people online but they don’t know. They weren’t there. It was 4.30am and we were sleeping to be woken by these screaming alarms.
“We are truly grateful because if it wasn’t for my children, we would have still been asleep and who knows what would have happened?”
Paora said the family just sat outside the burnt-out home for 10 hours before someone came and offered them support.
Nooroa Paora and his whānau are given a helping hand by Dave Letele's BBM Charity. Photo / Supplied
The story published by the Herald yesterday attracted a lot of support but also a “few haters,” Paora said.
“Kei to pai. People are entitled to their view but me and my kids were there. We know the truth.
“What I saw after the fire was unreal. My daughter would have been sleeping right where a ventilation sheet landed.
“The piece burnt straight through our couch. Today is the first time since the fire last week that we have been able to talk about it as a whānau.
“I brought it up and the kids started crying and as parents that was tough for us but equally tougher on them.”
Paora said the children, aged 18 months to 18, started back at school and will be watched over by their friends and teachers.
He said there were actually 15 in the house - him and his wife and 12 kids plus his moko - at the time of the blaze, and again wanted to thank the Tokoroa community, the PIC church and Dave Letele, who has refurnished the family’s new whare.
“When Dave arrived with the house stuff, I could feel his aroha he has for people,” Paora said.
