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Video / Newstalk ZB / AP / Getty / NZ Herald
Coastguard volunteers rescued four people from rocks after they became trapped by a fire on a seaside Christchurch reserve yesterday afternoon.
Volunteers came to the group’s aid after Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) were told of the fire on Stoddart Point, near Diamond Harbour and Purau Bay, across the harbour from Lyttleton.
Firefighters were called to the 100 sq m fire on Stoddart Point, which includes a large reserve and the Diamond Harbour Wharf, at 4.30pm, Fenz southern shift manager Bailey Wells said.
Volunteers from Governor’s Bay and Diamond Harbour, as well as a paid crew from Spreydon, had put the fire out by 6.30pm.
The cause of the blaze remains unknown.
Firefighters were called to the 100 sq m fire on Stoddart Point. Photo / Coastguard
Coastguard Canterbury volunteer and master-in-charge onboard the Canterbury Rescue, Rueben Cowan, said the crew had to “skilfully” manoeuvre the vessel through the rocky terrain to rescue the group.
“We [used] our fire pump during the [rescue], minimising potential risks to our vessel, crew, and the four individuals.”
Volunteers from Governor’s Bay and Diamond Harbour, as well as a paid crew from Spreydon, had put the fire out by 6.30pm. Photo / Coastguard
The coastguard then returned to the scene, offering “crucial safety assistance” to Diamond Harbour Fenz crew or the firefighting helicopter and other crews working near the shoreline.
Photographs show the fire burning, spewing smoke from the bushy area and the charred landscape remaining after the inferno was put out. Photo / Coastguard
Stoddart Point Reserve meets Lyttleton Harbour by way of a steep cliff, popular with tourists and day-trippers from Christchurch. The area, on Banks Peninsula, has many hiking tracks.
Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.
Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.
