Fireworks blaze just averted

Fireworks pushed through a video store return slot could have sparked a major fire in Raglan at the weekend, police say.

Constable Kevin Holmes of the Raglan police said it was "sheer luck" the owner of United Video was still in the building after the shop closed at 10pm.

"It was not just his shop that was at risk - the whole block of shops between Wainui Rd and Nero St could have gone up. This was a pointless and senseless act that could have resulted in major damage and possibly loss of life," said Mr Holmes.

Around midnight the owner smelt something burning and discovered the fireworks burning in the after-hours return slot. The returns box and the sponge rubber base inside the shop were smouldering and about to burst into flames.

The shop is a two-storey wooden building, only metres away from other wooden buildings.

In a second incident about 40 minutes later, someone threw lit fireworks into a mail box on Bow St, outside the Raglan Post Shop. All mail in the box was burnt.

Police want to speak to anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in Bow St at around midnight on Saturday.

- NZPA