Lisa Bowers with family dog Skyler, Noah Bowers 5, Joanna Bowers 11, and Luke Bowers 2, after their home was destroyed by a suspicious fire. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Lisa Bowers with family dog Skyler, Noah Bowers 5, Joanna Bowers 11, and Luke Bowers 2, after their home was destroyed by a suspicious fire. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Just moments before being forced to stand on the footpath in the dark watching fire engulf her rented family home, Lisa Bowers saw a shadowy figure at the back door.
That figure was seen fleeing and jumping the back fence of the Matai St property in Otangarei.
Bowers was on the phone to police reporting what she thought was an intruder when she spotted flames in an outside room about 10.20pm on Wednesday.
Initially she thought it was a stray dog out the back banging around but it became more sinister when she spotted a person's silhouette and was alerted by her daughter to an orange glow.
"I saw a black shadow at the back door. I went back into the room with the kids where they were all sleeping because it was cold, and rang 111. While I was on the phone my daughter told me there was a fire," Bower said.
A suspicious fire extensively damaged this Otangarei home. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Her first instinct was to get her three children — Joanna 11, Noah 5 and Luke 2 — and her mother Diana Jordan, who suffers from severe arthritis, outside.
She bustled them out on to the footpath with just the clothes they were wearing.
"As we were getting out I saw someone jumping the fence."
Joanna rang the fire brigade but the blaze spread quickly through the rented three-bedroom bungalow they had called home for two years.
On Thursday, the family were unable to go back into the extensively damaged home and were shocked that all their possessions were damaged or destroyed.
Police confirmed the blaze was suspicious and a specialist fire investigator was checking out the house.
"There was nothing I could do but watch until the police took mum and I to the police station to get a statement," Bowers said. "We've got nothing but the clothes we were wearing at the time."
She said she had no idea about who might have started the fire and hoped the investigation would provide some answers.
Before moving into the home, the family had lived in a motel for three months as the house they had been in was sold.
"This has been a great home for us all to be in. It's got plenty of happy memories for us," Bowers said.
One of those was the birth of Luke just the day after they moved into the house on February 7, 2018.
"It's a great community here and great neighbours. We built a home out of what we had, now we have nothing."
The family were staying with a neighbour and hoping temporary accommodation could be found this week, which could mean moving back into a motel.
Bowers said finding a home was complicated by Covid-19 which restricted people's movements and her ability to look for another home.
The Otangārei community has been donating clothes, blankets and food.
A scene guard was in place overnight and police tape surrounds the property.
Detective Sergeant Dave Hamilton confirmed the fire was being treated as suspicious and officers had tried to locate the person seen running from the property,but had been unsuccessful.
Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed any suspicious activity in the area around the time of the fire to contact Hamilton by phoning 105 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A friend of the Bower family, Karlene Joyce-Livingstone, had posted on Facebook asking for any koha, saying the children needed clothes and Lisa and her mum would also need clothes size large and extra large.
She was also seeking help from Te Hau Awhiowhio Trust, Salvation Army, Housing NZ and elsewhere. She would coordinate any donations and could be contacted on 02102903610.
