Blaze turns travel dream to ashes

The takeaway outlet on Waiheke Island was almost totally destroyed by fire yesterday morning. Photo / Diana Worthy

A fierce fire that reduced a Waiheke take-away to ashes yesterday morning has left its owner shocked and robbed of the trip of a lifetime she was planning.

Ao Place owner Sharon Pou, 59, was asleep in a back room of the Surfdale take-away in Miami Avenue when she was woken at around 6.30am by frantic residents.

They alerted her to a fire at the front of the building, which had started behind a fridge.

The fire brigade received multiple calls and four tenders arrived at the scene at around 6.50am, by which time the blaze had taken hold.

The store is now completely gutted and its asbestos roof is in tatters.

Ms Pou, who has been a resident for 20 years, is now facing the end of her dreams to take a "big OE" she was planning after the imminent sale of her business.

She says she was hoping to complete the sale within the next two weeks.

"But look at it now. I don't have insurance. I don't own the building. I turn 60 this year and was looking forward to taking a big OE - something I've never had.

"Before all of this, I did child care for CYFs for 30 odd years. I've been crying on and off all day," she said.

Ms Pou said the wiring had only recently been inspected and claimed it had been found to be faulty.