Quick thinking stops fire from spreading

JOB DONE: Firefighters pack up after attending a small fire in Pownall St, Masterton. PHOTO/ANDREW BONALLACK

A group of quick-thinking workers kept a Pownall St home from going up in flames, after a small fire started in its walls.

A team from the Masterton Fire Service attended the property about 11.25 yesterday morning, and were able to contain the blaze which began in the house's wall cavity and spread through to the kitchen.

Station officer Doug Flowerday said contractors had been using a water blaster on the property at the time, and had left the exhaust pipe close to its external wall.

Exhaust emissions caused the timbers to catch fire.

Mr Flowerday said the contractors alerted the fire brigade as soon as they noticed the smoke and flames.

"The workmen obviously made the mistake of leaving the exhaust too near the house but, once they saw there was a fire, they did all the right things," he said. "They noticed [the fire] early, and called us straight away. The fire crew did a good job of containing it to a small area."

The property sustained minor damage, mainly to the inside of the walls, some of the floor joists and a kitchen cupboard.

Mr Flowerday said the contractors' immediate action stopped the fire from spreading further - which could have been disastrous for the turn-of-the-century cottage and its owners.

"If you've got a fire that starts in the wall, it can easily spread to the ceiling," he said.

"Thankfully, it only got to a few floor boards."

The scene was attended by two fire trucks, and crew worked on the property for about an hour-and-a-half.