Kerikeri shop fire traced to hot chip fat in container behind building

A fire at the back of a Kerikeri fish and chip shop was the result of cooking fat that hadn't cooled down.

A fire at the back of a fish and chip shop is a warning to wait until cooking fat has cooled down thoroughly before disposing of it, Kerikeri fire chief Les Wasson says.

A passer-by called 111 after seeing flames at the rear of Calypso Takeaways on Kerikeri Rd about 11.30pm on Friday. The cause was traced to hot fat put into a polystyrene container then placed in a storage area at the rear of the shop.

Mr Wasson said damage to the building was minor but it could have been a lot worse if a passing motorist hadn't raised the alarm.

The blaze was a reminder to ensure anything hot, such as ashes or cooking oil, was cool or completely extinguished before it was disposed of - and even then it should kept away from anything flammable.

Another Kerikeri resident had a close call on Sunday after failing to properly extinguish a fire the day earlier.

The Inlet Rd resident thought a fire lit on Saturday had gone out but about 2.30pm on Sunday it sprang back into life and spread through more than 20sq m of long grass.
Without early warning the blaze could have spread to a nearby house, Mr Wasson said.

Earlier on Sunday, about 11.40am, the Kerikeri Fire Brigade was called to Blacks Rd, off Inlet Rd, to put out another grass fire.