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As flames spread through a Ruawai home, a 40-year-old with cerebral palsy, who cannot talk or walk far, had to be carried to safety by his brother and nephew.
Members of the Northland family are counting their blessings everyone survived the Friday evening fire that destroyed their home in minutes.
The home of Shirley Forbes and Jim Gilmour housed seven: the couple, their son Willie who is disabled, another son, Justin, and three of their grandchildren.
Veteran firefighter Kevin Evans said it was the largest and quickest fire he had seen, and there was nothing firefighters could do to save the home.
Among the items lost: Forbes and Gilmour’s hearing aids and glasses, Willie’s electric wheelchair, a bus and two vehicles on the site, a boat, solar panels, clothes, books and tools.
“All I’m interested in is my family got out of the house, the rest of it’s material – we can replace it or start again.”
The house and contents – up to a limited $30,000 – were insured but the bus and boat were not.
The charred remains of a house bus is one of the only things identifiable on the site of the razed Ruawai house. Photo / Denise Piper
Forbes said fire inspectors were unable to determine the cause of the blaze, but it was not deliberate and started near the front verandah.
The blaze is the second for the family, as Justin Gilmour lost his belongings when the inside of his home, also in Ruawai, was damaged by fire in May last year.
That fire was also not deliberate and started in the oven. It led Justin and his two children to move in with his parents while they got things sorted.
The family is now living with different relatives and trying to figure out their next steps.
Forbes said she and Gilmour bought the Jellicoe Rd wooden kauri villa in 1984, with plenty of people coming through the doors that they helped care for.
She hoped they would be able to rebuild on the same site.
The house did have fire alarms, which went off for a short time before melting, Forbes said.
She admitted the family were hoarders and not liked by everyone in the Ruawai community but had been overwhelmed by the support offered.
Gilmour was full of praise for his 18-year-old grandson, Zakariah, who tried to fight the fire before it took hold, then quickly worked to get everyone out when the flames spread.
“The flames were in the sitting room when Justin and Zak hauled Willie out.
“I’ve never seen anything go up so quick in all my life.”
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
