Christchurch home reignites after initial blaze killing one person. Video / NZ. Herald
A Christchurch property caught fire for a second time in six hours on Tuesday morning, after the initial blaze killed one person.
Smoke billowed out of the property on Camrose Pl in Ilam at 7.30am, fire crews had already left the scene after tackling a larger blaze earlier that morning.
The Herald understands an elderly woman was the sole occupant of the house, neighbours fear she was victim to the flames.
Fire and Emergency were first to arrive at the scene when the initial blaze sparked shortly after 3.30am.
Smoke billowed out of the property on Camrose Pl in Ilam at 7.30am. Fire crews had already left the scene prior. Photo / NZME
Two trucks were initially sent to the west Christchurch home, however, Shift Manager Alex Norris said the Ilam and Wigram trucks requested backup when they saw the scale of the blaze.
Responding crews requested police and ambulance for support due to the house being well-involved in the fire.
A further truck from Spreydon followed, and the firefighters then engaged in active firefighting to extinguish the blaze.
It was local police who confirmed in a statement later that morning they’d found a person had died inside the address during the blaze.
Detective Senior Sergeant, Damon Wells of Canterbury police said an investigation was under way and they would be working closely with Fire and Emergency to determine the circumstances.
Fire investigators were due to return to the site at 8am to conduct inquiries. Photo / NZME
“At this early stage, there is nothing to indicate that there are any suspicious circumstances however our inquiries are ongoing,” said Wells.
Fire crews continued to stay at the scene until about 5.30am, by 7am fire crews had fully departed the scene - leaving a single police unit to guard the premises.
Fire investigators were due to return to the site at 8am to conduct inquiries.
However, sometime after 7am the blaze reignited inside the home - white smoke billowing out of the property and filling the street.
Giving the initial impression of thick fog, houses to the right of the home were engulfed in the thick smoke as the wind carried it east.
Several neighbours across from the property stood outside their homes, some wearing dressing gowns to witness a repeat of the early morning’s action.
The lone police officer left at the scene could only watch as orange flames appeared from a gaping hole in the room closest to the street, the walls black and charred.
Police tape which appeared to have been used during the initial blaze to set a cordon, now lay on the roadside wet from the morning’s rainfall.
A single firetruck returned to the house shortly before 8am, two firefighters worked quickly to set up a hose and extinguish the blaze, which was contained to the single street-facing room.
Police tape which appeared to have been used during the initial blaze to set a cordon, now lay on the roadside wet from the morning’s rainfall. Photo / NZME
The flames were gone almost immediately, smoke continued to billow a short time later.
Light falling rain seemed to help keep the blaze at bay.
The two-storey corner home appeared to be made of both weatherboard and brick, neighbours confirmed the sole occupant of the home was an elderly woman.
She had a son, but neighbours said she largely kept to herself and fear she was the one killed in the fire.
The neighbours of the home are currently away on a trip to Malaysia, one nearby resident said they were concerned their house was going to be engulfed in the blaze.
“They haven’t been around to move their cars out of the way, so we’re a bit concerned for them,” one neighbour said.
By 8.30am, the smoke had disappeared altogether and emergency services were largely gone once more, however one firetruck and two police cars have remained at the scene.
Detective Wells said anyone who might have relevant information to help inquiries are urged to call police on 105 and quote the file number 230222/9020.
