Another arson at Kareponia

The Kaitaia Fire Brigade was called to another house fire at Kareponia, east of Awanui, shortly after midnight on Saturday, immediately next door to the house that was damaged by an apparent arsonist seven days earlier.

On that occasion neighbours had the fire well under control by the time the first appliance arrived from Kaitaia, restricting damage to the front door area, but this time it was a different story.

The fire, which had clearly been lit at the back of the property, out of sight of traffic on State Highway 10 and neighbours, gutted the rear of the small house and left the remainder with severe smoke damage.

Kaitaia's Chief Fire Officer, Colin Kitchen, said the fire crews from Kaitaia (supported by a water carrier) and Ahipara did well to extinguish the blaze before it destroyed the house completely (an appliance also arrived from Mangonui but wasn't needed), but there had been no chance of saving it from extensive damage.

The house was believed to be unoccupied; the power had been turned off at the mains, ruling out the possibility of an electrical cause, he added.

Fire authorities and the police had no doubt that the fire had been deliberately lit, although the motive was not clear.

Rumours that it had been used as a methamphetamine laboratory had been put down to speculation that was not supported by any evidence.

"I don't know where that came from, but it's completely unfounded," Detective Richard Garton said.

Anyone who has any information that might help the inquiry is asked to contact Detective Garton at the Kaitaia police station, phone (09) 408-6500, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555-111.