A malfunctioning underfloor heating thermostat is believed to be the cause of a small fire resulting in a smoke alarm being triggered, followed by a quick evacuation at the Bob Owens Retirement Village in Bethlehem on Sunday.

Three fire trucks responded to the fire, Fire and Emergency NZ northern shift manager Josh Pennefather said.

“The Bob Owens Retirement Village had a fire in the dining room,” Pennefather said.

“We got the call at 9.05am. We had three fire trucks in attendance.”

Pennefather said “everyone was out of where the fire was, there was no one inside at the time” when the fire service arrived.

As well as townhouses and independent apartments, Bob Owens Retirement Village in Carmichael Rd provides rest home, hospital and specialist dementia care. The village has been awarded 4-year certification by the Ministry of Health, considered the ‘gold standard’ in care.

A Ryman Healthcare said a smoke alarm had been triggered in the village’s rest home lounge.

“As soon as the village’s alarms sounded, residents were evacuated from the area as a precaution,” a spokesperson said.

“Fire and Emergency (FENZ) were called immediately and attended the site to investigate, subsequently extinguishing a small fire that was discovered in a wall cavity.

“No one was hurt by the fire or exposed to the smoke, and residents were safely returned to their rooms shortly after FENZ attended.”

Fire trucks came from Tauranga, Greerton and Mount Maunganui stations. Pennefather said a fire investigator attended at the same time, with the service leaving about 90 minutes after first receiving the call.

“We found the fire and put it out and then the fire investigator arrived,” Pennefather said.

“It is believed the fire was started by a malfunctioning underfloor heating thermostat,” a Ryman spokesperson said.

“Electrical testing is being carried out throughout the village as a further precaution.”