Fire breaks out on Putere School grounds in Hawke’s Bay, community helps put it out

Firefighters responded to a fire in the ceiling of a building on the grounds of Putere School, about an hour’s drive away from Wairoa, about 9.20am on Friday. Photo / NZME

Members of the public in a rural Hawke’s Bay community reportedly stepped in with hoses to help put out a fire in a building on school grounds while firefighters were en route.

A fire investigator was called in to investigate the cause of a fire in the ceiling of a building on the grounds of Putere School, about an hour’s drive away from Wairoa, reported about 9.20am on Friday.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Murray Dunbar said members of the public had reportedly used hoses to try to put out the fire, which was mostly extinguished as of 10.45am.

Dunbar said firefighters were still establishing whether the fire was in a school building or a residential property on school grounds.

No injuries were reported and the extent of the damage was still being determined.

A second alarm was transmitted as a precaution and resources from Mahia, Nuhaka, Napier and a tanker from Gisborne had been called in, although Nuhaka firefighters were called off before arriving, according to Nuhaka chief fire officer Denal Meihana.

James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on the environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz