Ashes spark Papamoa garage fire

Firefighters were called to a garage fire in Papamoa today after neighbours saw smoke pouring from the structure on a residential property.

Mount Maunganui and Papamoa fire fighters were called to the fire in a property on Gravatt Road just before 8.30am where the single vehicle garage was alight.

No one was injured in the fire and the owners of the property were not home at the time.

Firefighters at the scene of a garage fire in Papamoa.

Mount Maunganui station officer Lindsay Nicol says the fire was caused by ashes from a fireplace that had been placed in the garage.

“As far as I can tell the ashes will have been put in the garage this morning.

“The garage’s probably written off. It was pretty involved when we got here.

“Thankfully it was a stand-alone garage.”

Lindsay says ashes are dangerous and can stay active for up to five days after a fire is put out.

“People should put them into a metal container and leave them away clear of any combustibles.”

Neighbour Mary Wade says she smelt burnt rubber coming from her neighbour’s property and called the Fire Service about 8.20am.

“I thought the smoke was coming from next door, which has young children, and I just went out to check and smoke was pouring out of the garage over there.

“I called the fire brigade and said ‘Come out there’s a fire and there’s no response whatsoever’.

“My friend was knocking on the door but there was nobody home.”

Fire fighters put out the fire in the garage, which was still standing but sustained internal damage.

The garage sustained internal damage from the fire, caused by ashes.