Fire-hit Bernie Hornfeck gets new home and hearing aids

A Rotorua man who lost his home in a devastating fire will move into a kaumatua flat at Apumoana Marae this weekend and has a temporary pair of hearing aids.

Since his Lynmore home burnt down in the early hours of Tuesday, 88-year-old Bernie Hornfeck has been staying with friends and family.

He lost everything in the fire and said it was surprising how many people wanted to help.

"I'd like to say thank you to all of them.

"The list has already started of people to send thank you letters."

Thanks to his helpers Mr Hornfeck said he had a fully stocked wardrobe, temporary hearing aids and offers of furniture from as far as Auckland.

"What I'm telling people is let's get the house up first, then we'll sort the other things," he said.

"I've had the insurance round and we will start removing the house on Monday."

Having trained as a chippy in order to build his last home Mr Hornfeck has asked if he can help build the next one, saying it would look a little bit different this time.

"They said that's okay, so I am hoping to be there when they do the clean-up work and I can rescue a few tools."

Mr Hornfeck bought his Iles Rd section in 1952.

"We started building the house in 1964 and finished it in 1967," he said.

"At that time we could see all the way to Maketu."

In the 50 years since Mr Hornfeck said the trees had grown too tall for him to bother aiming for a view this time.

A long-time community gardener Mr Hornfeck is carrying on with business as usual and has been out in the gardens again this week.

"I am doing all right. There's plenty of people who need help more than me."

A people's advocate Mr Hornfeck said whenever people were struggling he would still be there to help.

In a Facebook post Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said she admired how Mr Hornfeck had responded after losing his house in a fire.

"You are alive and that's what matters our noble kumara gardener. Our community will rally," she said.

Melissa Brown said her Uncle Bernie had been surprised by the support.

"Nothing will go to waste, anything that we don't use will go back to others who are in need," she said.

"The fundraising has been going well."