Elderly woman flees burning house

An elderly woman has been forced to leave her home after a firework that landed in guttering set fire to the roof as she slept last night.

The Hamilton woman was alerted to the fire, which took hold in the ceiling cavity, only when a group of teenagers banged on her door and windows in the Dinsdale suburb about 10pm.

Hamilton Police Acting Senior Sergeant Dale Smith said a large, used firework was recovered at the scene and it appeared it had been lit and launched into the air, landing in the guttering of the rental property.

It burnt up into the ceiling cavity, charring the trusses and melting a water pipe in the roof space which burst and filled the cavity with water, causing extensive damage, he said.

Mr Smith said that although no one saw the incident, residents in Paterson St reported a group of children and teenagers aged as young as 8 and up to 17 letting off fireworks in the neighbourhood shortly before the fire.

"A group of similar age then raised the alarm at a nearby Burrows Pl address and banged on the doors and windows to wake up the elderly woman who was home alone in the house that was on fire," Mr Smith said.

"Of further concern to us was the discovery of an empty wine bottle next to the spent firework indicating alcohol may have played a factor in some of the decision-making around where to set the device off."

He praised the actions of the group who alerted the elderly woman but Mr Smith said police were concerned about the serious nature of the incident and wanted to speak to anyone who was involved or saw what happened.

Neighbour Arron Gough said this morning he awoke to the sound of emergency services at the house.

Mr Gough said the woman left the house with a friend and had not returned.

He said he had seen a group of teenagers further down the street lighting fireworks about 9.30pm.

"There was quite a few lighting fireworks in the middle of the road."
Mr Gough wanted fireworks banned.

"They're dangerous bloody things. I don't know why they don't ban them."