Kris Beehre had to jump from his kitchen window to escape a fire that tore through his house. Photo/Ben Fraser
Kris Beehre had to jump from his kitchen window to escape a fire that tore through his house. Photo/Ben Fraser
A Rotorua man had to jump naked out his kitchen window to escape a house fire that claimed everything he owned but his two guinea pigs.
Kris Beehre said he woke up in his rental property, on the corner of Devon and Arthur Sts, about 5am yesterday to a beeping sound.
"I thought it was my phone alarm going off because I wanted to watch the Argie (Argentina)-South Africa rugby game. So I set my alarm for 5am in the morning thinking it was that.
"I picked up my phone and threw it, but it kept going and going and going so I woke up," the owner of Ambrosia Restaurant said. "The smoke was that thick I wasn't able to see. I jumped out the kitchen window and the moment I jumped out there was a big yellow flash."
His guinea pigs had survived as they were kept in an outside fire box attached to the house.
He hadn't had time to get dressed and had stopped a passerby to ring the Fire Service. His neighbours had also raised the alarm.
A firefighter douses down hotspots. Photo/Ben Fraser
"The fire must've been really hot because what has melted is unbelievable. You've got stools that look they they were plastic but were made of metal, you've got metal lamps melted down."
He had contents insurance for his property and had initially been told the blaze was caused by an electrical issue.
A fire safety investigator was at the home yesterday and said the investigation was still ongoing.
"I've calmed down a lot. I was quite angry when I first saw it," Mr Beehre said. "I'm going to miss my photos of my kids, and my clothes the most. I'm just going to look for a new place to live. It's all I really can do and start again."
Kris Beehre surveys the damage Photo/Ben Fraser
Rotorua firefighters were also part of 50-strong crew to battle a fire at a marae dining hall northwest of Taupo on Saturday. It has been reported the tangi for a 3-year-old was taking place at the time.
Northern Fire Communications shift manager Steve Smith said the fire in the Mokai Marae wharekai (dining hall) was "well involved", but no one was hurt or trapped. The fire was in a corner of the single-level 30m by 30m building at the marae 26km northwest of Taupo.
Firefighting crews from Rotorua, Taupo, Mangakino, Tokoroa and Mangatahi were sent after emergency services were called at 4.30pm, Mr Smith said.
"There's no water supply there so we've had to send all the trucks with water."
A marae elder had been taken by ambulance to hospital after suffering smoke inhalation.
The fire in the wharekai was "totally involved" and still not under control almost two hours after the alarm was raised. Nearby buildings, including the wharenui (meeting house) were also at risk, he said.
"The priority is protecting those buildings," Mr Smith said.
A fire investigator left the scene of the Devon St fire yesterday afternoon to attend to a fire in Opotiki.
Four fire trucks were at the blaze in Waioeka Rd about 2pm yesterday where the fire was well under way, said a fire northern communications spokesman. No one was reported injured. - Additional reporting NZME
