No money, so teen starts a fire

Photo / Thinkstock

A troubled teenager appears to have set fire to her bedroom after her father refused to give her money. The 18-year-old's father suffered burns to his hands putting out the Bucklands Beach fire. The family, including two younger siblings, were in the house at the time of the blaze.

It is understood the girl had demanded $2000 from her father.

Neighbour Fotu Waqabaca said he saw flames coming from the house about 10pm on Tuesday. "All the curtains were on fire. I shouted 'fire' and asked my cousin to call the fire brigade and I ran to the house," he said.

He said he "barged" into the house and tried to get the family to leave. He saw a man, two women and a small boy in the house.

He said the teenage girl was standing in the hallway with her head down and back to the wall while the others were "running around in a panic".

"I thought something would explode. There was a lot of smoke inside the house. I went into the bedroom and saw the old man trying to put the fire out. He had burned his hands so I helped him get basins of water to put the fire out," he said.

The curtains and a bookcase were engulfed in flames, which were spreading to the ceiling - but it was brought under control within a short time, he said.

"The boy, about 9 to 11 years old, told me 'it was my big sister. The last thing I saw was her holding a match'."

He said the family were quiet and had moved into the house only about three months ago.

The girl's mother, who declined to be named, said police took her daughter away after the fire and she had not returned to the house.

She said her daughter and husband had had a disagreement over money.

"I think she needs help. We are very worried about her. She can't control her anger and does not think of the consequences," she said.

Acting Detective Sergeant Matthew Alley said an 18-year-old woman was charged with wilful damage.

She was held in custody the night of the fire and appeared in court the following day. She was bailed to appear in the Manukau District Court on April 7.