Rawene fire chief Zak Bristow surveys the little that remains of the Kokohuia Rd house after Thursday morning's fire. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Fears for a Northland man after a ferocious house fire in Ōmāpere yesterday turned to relief when he was located at another address in the South Hokianga town.
Firefighters from as far away as Dargaville responded to the blaze which broke out on Kokohuia Rd, on a hillside overlooking Hokianga Harbour, just before 10am.
With no hope of saving the single-storey house, firefighters focused on stopping the flames spreading through bush and gum trees to other houses.
A large home just over a ridge, about 80m away, was particularly at risk.
Rawene firefighters were first on the scene. They were backed up by crews from Kaikohe and Okaihau, while tankers from Kerikeri and Dargaville shuttled water from a hydrant on State Highway 12.
The blaze took more than two hours to extinguish fully.
Rawene fire chief Zak Bristow said the single-storey dwelling was burning fiercely when the brigade arrived.
A short time later firefighters were told the home's occupant was not accounted for, though there were also unconfirmed reports he was ''out and about in the community''.
''The house was unsalvageable. It was a case of containing the surrounding fire, which was spreading into the vegetation towards a house over the ridge. We managed to cut it off.''
Just last week a Far North man died in a caravan fire at Peria, inland from Doubtless Bay. Police said the blaze was not suspicious. His death has been referred to the coroner.