When Piri Kautai arrived at his Tokoroa home after a trip to the shops this morning he found the house in flames.
“The fire people were putting it out,” Kautai told the Waikato Herald.
“The intensity of the fire burned a hole in the wall of the storeroom.”
Kautai, 85, said the property has been in his family’s ownership since about 1958. Kautai then spent 40 years living in Auckland before returning to Tokoroa.
“I came back in 2003. I’ve been here since and I’m the only occupier of the house.”
Kautai said he wanted people to know he was safe and no one had been hurt.
“Tell the people that I’m safe and going on plan B,” Kautai said.
“Luckily for me it’s covered by insurance.”
Kautai said he was hoping to live in the garage temporarily.
“I want to make sure no one gets into the house,” Kautai said.
“It’ll mean bathing down in the swimming pool and takeaways. But I’m 85 years old. I’ve got plan Bs and Cs and all that.”
“Luckily spring is approaching which helps.”
Kautai said he’d been advised not to touch anything in the house until after an insurance assessment was made.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said crews went to a “well-involved” house fire after 11.05am.
”It’s since been extinguished,” the spokesperson said.”We still have two fire trucks in attendance and the fire investigator has just arrived as well.”
The spokesperson said there were no injuries reported.
Police are helping with traffic management at the scene.
Maryana Garcia is a Hamilton-based reporter covering breaking news in Waikato. She previously wrote for the Rotorua Daily Post and Bay of Plenty Times.
“We had to find a happy balance, or we would’ve been out of business two years ago.”