Historic homestead badly damaged in major blaze

The sole occupant of an historic Canterbury homestead near Springfield escaped serious injury today after waking in the middle of a major fire.

Rick Johnson, son of former Environment Canterbury chairman Richard Johnson whose family owns the historic Mt Torlesse homestead, was able to raise the alarm shortly before 1.30am as the blaze took hold.

Firefighters from Springfield, Sheffield and Oxford raced to the homestead about 3km from Springfield but the 102-year-old house was already burning fiercely.

The second storey and attic of the grand old two-storey homestead could not be saved, but volunteer firefighters helped Rick Johnson salvage much of the contents.

Springfield Volunteer Fire Brigade deputy fire chief Jeff Hutton told NZPA firefighters used a thermal imaging camera to detect hot spots requiring dampening.

It took three hours to bring the fire under control.

"There were flames right through the centre of the house and smoke pouring out of virtually the entire roof," he said.

The top storey had been completely gutted and the roof had fallen in.

Mr Hutton said the fire had been fuelled by sarking, or timber-hessian linings, within the walls and ceilings.

"It's a very difficult type of fire to put out. It would have smouldered for a long time before it burst out and let its presence be known."

Mr Johnson was lucky to have awakened and escaped the fierce blaze.

His wife and young son had been staying the night with relatives in Darfield.

Mr Hutton said Mr Johnson was able to get some belongings and memorabilia out of the burning house.

"We're very pleased that no life was lost," Mr Hutton said.

Mr Johnson was treated at the scene for exposure to the fire.

Relief fire crews from Kirwee and Hororata were brought in to monitor hot spots and keep an eye on the badly damaged building.

Fire safety officers investigating the cause of the blaze are focusing on its diesel heating system.

A Selwyn District Council spokesman told NZPA two houses had occupied the site since the original cob cottage was built in the 1850s.

The current homestead was built in 1904, replacing an 1871 house that had been burnt down, rebuilt and demolished.

The Johnson family has been associated with the Mt Torlesse station since it was sold to Major P H Johnson -- Richard Johnson's grandfather -- by G L Rutherford in 1904. The homestead was built that year.

Richard Johnson said the family was "absolutely devastated" by the fire.

He said firefighters had done a "fantastic job" in managing to save the bottom storey, which had been water damaged but the walls were still standing.

The firefighters had used water from a swimming pool that Mr Johnson said he had installed as extra water storage "for just this eventuality".

Mr Johnson said his son had "emptied two fire extinguishers" before being forced to get out.

"Whether we rebuild and start again -- that decision will have to be taken when the assessors have had a good look," he said.

- NZPA