A Christchurch woman has lost her “whole life” after her container home was destroyed in the Port Hills fires.
Worsley Rd resident Anna Spark spoke to the Herald about her devastating ordeal.
Spark was at work as a security guard on Wednesday in New Brighton when her mother called to say there was a fire on the hills and that it “doesn’t look good”.
“I just headed across town as fast as I possibly could,” she said.
“I literally made it in the nick of time to be able to go down and rescue my three dogs, my goat, my cat and open up the alpaca paddock so that they would have a chance because the flames were encroaching the bottom of their paddock, they were coming onto our property and I was very close to it all.
“I just had to get my animals out.”
When she first arrived she could not see the flames over the hill, but when she went to open the alpaca paddocks she could see flames about 20ft high.
“I was just like ‘far out ... I’ve got to boost, get out of here’.”
After a sleepless night, she returned on Thursday to check on the alpacas.
“As we drove down I was in the animal management car and I said ‘oh my container’s gone ...’ they asked ‘where’s that?’ and I just pointed down the hill beyond a vehicle and I said ‘that’s my container’, the whole thing was gone.”
Spark had been living in the container for about four years, first moving in to help her grandmother before she died two years ago.
The outdoor kitchen, fridge, table and bedroom were all gone.
“32-inch TV, Xbox, bed all my life-long furniture, everything that’s valuable to me - journals, books. My dad lost his computer set-up in my room - he lost his writing. He’s been a writer and he backed everything up and left it on the desk.
“It’s our whole life. Fortunately, my dad has a room that hasn’t been touched up the hill as far as we know, so all his personal belongings he has still … but everything of my personal belongings has gone. Just what I have in my car is what I have.”
As she prepared to go and see her alpacas again on Friday morning, Spark said she did not think she had fully processed it all.
“I’m still a bit in shock. A bit of panic, I’m without a home right now but I kind of trust people are going to help me, I’ve got my family around me. I’m not going to be homeless.”
She wanted to thank all the authorities for their help. She said she hoped to one day be back living on the hills.
“I’m going to look to secure a house in town for now and I hope to go back to the hill one day and maybe build a tiny house, that’s really my dream.
“But for now it’s just dealing with all of this and getting back on your feet.”
If you want to help Spark, a Givealittle page has been set up by her friend. Funds will be used to assist Spark “until she can find her feet” to purchase replacement clothing and toiletries, and to cover general daily costs including accommodation.
The 19-year-old disappeared without her wallet or mobile phone.