A fire at the back of a Kerikeri fish and chip shop was the result of cooking fat that hadn't cooled down.
A fire at the back of a fish and chip shop is a warning to wait until cooking fat has cooled down thoroughly before disposing of it, Kerikeri fire chief Les Wasson says.
A passer-by called 111 after seeing flames at the rear of Calypso Takeaways on Kerikeri Rd about
11.30pm on Friday. The cause was traced to hot fat put into a polystyrene container then placed in a storage area at the rear of the shop.
Mr Wasson said damage to the building was minor but it could have been a lot worse if a passing motorist hadn't raised the alarm.
The blaze was a reminder to ensure anything hot, such as ashes or cooking oil, was cool or completely extinguished before it was disposed of - and even then it should kept away from anything flammable.
Another Kerikeri resident had a close call on Sunday after failing to properly extinguish a fire the day earlier.
