DAMAGE DONE: Kaeo's chief fire officer Lindsay Murray dampening down the remains of the Matauri Bay house razed in a suspected arson attack.
Hemi Rapata just had time to get his five children, aged from 2 to 9 years, out of their house at Matauri Bay late on Thursday night before it went up like an inferno, possibly thanks to an arsonist.
Mr Rapata said he had feared for the safety of his
children after a confrontation outside his house that evening, so he took them to his father's home next door. When he returned minutes later he saw the flames. He called 111, but the blaze took hold so quickly no one could do anything but prevent the flames from spreading to surrounding bush.
The fire had destroyed everything he, his partner and children owned, he said.
"We've lost the whole lot. The stove, furniture, beds, family photos. It's just devastating," Mr Rapata said.
Detective Sergeant Sam Bindon (Kerikeri) said police and firefighters were called to the property just before 11pm after a confrontation there involving another local man. No one had been injured in the fire, but the house had been "completely annihilated".
