Police called in to probe fire at pensioner's home

Mrs Meek's house burned down on Sunday night. Photo / Okkie Brits

Police are now investigating a fire which destroyed a pensioner's two-storey home in the North Shore suburb of Torbay.

Emergency services received more than 20 calls as the blaze tore through the Infidel Place home of Meleana Meeks from 6.20pm on Sunday.

Fire safety officer Russell Dickson said some "suspicious circumstances" led investigators to call in police. He would not say what they were.

Mrs Meeks' son, Tom Fotu, said his mother was visiting her brother in Mangere, after attending her weekly church service, when her other son called to say her house was on fire.

Mr Fotu, who lives next to his mother, said she was insured but had lost everything in her home of 25 years. "Her personal belongings, things that are dear to her are all gone."

A witness was impressed that several neighbours had put themselves at risk running around "20m-high flames" calling out to ensure no one was inside the home.

"The fibrolite was exploding ... yet these guys were still determined to find out if anybody was in the house."