A house in Kaponga in South Taranaki has been destroyed by fire overnight - a mere six weeks after its owner bought it.
Fire services attended the fire at midnight on Friday.
The owner of the house, a woman in her early 30s, bought it only six weeks ago but had been renting it for the past three years.
The woman's horse bolted at the time of the fire when a gas bottle exploded but was later caught and put safely in a paddock. The woman had been living in the house with a flatmate, who was away on holiday at the time of the fire.
Close friend Gary Anderson said the community was supporting the woman with clothing donations and money was being dropped off at the local supermarket.
