The mysterious case of the exploding fridge has been solved.
Firefighters and police were called to an explosion at a house in Scott St, Gate Pa in the early hours of October 3.
The force of the explosion smashed all 10 windows in the two-bedroom flat, ripped the frame off the sliding door in the lounge and tore off window joinery frames. It also caused the ceiling to flex and crack in the kitchen and dining room.
The two occupants of the house were asleep at the time and were unharmed. Tauranga fire safety officer Ken McKeagg said the occupants initially told him the fridge only contained a bag of vegetables. He said lengthy questioning by police led the men to admit they had been mixing butane with alcohol, removing the evidence before emergency services arrived.
"We were happy to learn it was flammable gas and there was not something wrong with the veggies, which would be quite disconcerting.''