Wind makes dousing difficult

High winds and flames over two properties made putting out a Warwick St blaze difficult for Marlborough firefighters in one of two house fires in Blenheim at the weekend.

Blenheim, Renwick and Picton Volunteer Fire Brigades were called to the fire just before 2am on Sunday and found the house, a fence and neighbouring shed ablaze.

Blenheim deputy chief fire officer Dion Partridge said the wind and a fire burning on several fronts made the situation more difficult. It took about an hour to get it under control.

A fire appliance returned to the house later in the morning to dampen down hotspots. No one was inside the house at the time.

Mr Partridge said a passing taxi driver had woken the owners of the shed and told them about the fire.

The kitchen, living room and outdoor area of the house were extensively damaged. Firefighters were able to stop the blaze spreading to three bedrooms and another house. The fire gutted the shed which was full of building equipment, he said.

Meanwhile on Friday night the Blenheim Fire Brigade was called to a Brewer St home to a fire believed to have started in the kitchen. The back half of the house was extensively damaged but all occupants made it out of the house safely.

Three fire appliances from Blenheim attended the fire which started about 7pm.

Chief fire officer Rob Dalton said it was too early to tell the cause of the fire, but it may have started in the kitchen when some fat had fallen onto the stove.

Brewer St residents Skye Joyce, 16, Logan McCartney, 18, and Creed McCartney, 19, who live two doors down, said they saw smoke coming from the house and thought the neighbours were having a bonfire.

Once realising a house was on fire, they ran next door and used a hose to dampen the house so the fire would not spread.

Skye said the smoke was black and the three needed to cover their mouths and noses with their clothing to help them breathe.

Smoke billowed from the house and attracted about 100 onlookers from Brewer St and nearby streets.

A flat screen TV was pulled out of the house and placed against a fence across the road.

- The Marlborough Express

IMON WONG

Last updated 07:24 23/01/2012

DEREK FLYNN

Blenheim Volunteer Firefighters battle a serious house fire at a Brewer St property. The blaze broke out shortly after 7pm and was quickly contained by three fire appliances.

EMMA ALLEN

Gutted: An early morning blaze destroyed part of a Warwick St home on Sunday morning. A fence and a shed on a neighbouring property were also destroyed in the blaze.