Fire boss: House poses a danger to kids

This Bellingham Cres house is a hazard and should be demolished, a Rotorua Fire Brigade station officer believes. Photo/Stephen Parker

A senior fire officer is calling for a Rotorua house to be pulled down, saying it poses a hazard to children.

Senior Station Officer Richard Anastasi wants the Rotorua District Council to get a demolition order for a derelict house on Bellingham Crescent, Fordlands, after firefighters put out a suspicious fire in the early hours of Sunday.

He said they had been called to that property a number of times.

"We've approached the council to get a demolition order but I don't know why it's still standing, We believe it's a hazard. We've had a number of fires at that property and it's getting worse and worse. It's not going to fall down but our concern is there could be kids in there and they could be putting their lives at risk."

In March, 29 Bellingham Cres was intentionally set alight as part of a New Zealand Fire Training Centre exercise for new recruits.

It had been bought by the Rotorua District Council.

Mr Anastasi said the house at which there was a fire at the weekend, number 17, was in such a state of disrepair it was not suitable for such an exercise.

"It's too damaged. We would have to spend money on it to bring it up to a standard for us to burn down."

He said the fire was being treated as suspicious.

Rotorua District Council building services manager Darrell Holder said the council had previously worked with the property owner to make the building secure. The property would be inspected again.

The council cannot issue a demolition order. That can be done only through the courts.