A faulty lawnmower is thought to be the cause of a ferocious house fire that sent massive plumes of black smoke into the sky south of Auckland.
Kamaldeep Sharma had spent the morning and early afternoon yesterday doing a spot of gardening at his home in Pōkeno - cutting back bushes and mowing the lawn.
But shortly after 2.30pm, he spotted flames coming from the back yard and ran out of the house with his 13-year-old daughter Ilina.
"It was still small. I grabbed the hose and I tried to get it out, but it was too windy.
"It was very bad and [became] strong very quickly. The house is destroyed - there's nothing left."
Sharma said he believes his lawnmower, which sometimes became overheated, had caused "a spark" that then lit up dry grass and leaves at the back of the property.
Fire crews received emergency calls from 2.46pm.
The first of the firefighters to arrive got there about 20 minutes after the blaze broke out, he said.
Sharma said he was now working to figure out what he would do next.
He acknowledged he was being supported by some family and friends and that members of the local Pōkeno community had come forward offering to help the family.
A Givealittle page has been set up to help the family: Pōkeno house fire