A Titahi Bay house fire previously reported as spreading quickly in high winds is being treated as suspicious, Police have confirmed.
The blaze destroyed a home in Spur Grove on Saturday, 20 June, and damaged a neighbouring property. Two caravans near the property were also destroyed.
Eight fire trucks were called to the fire shortly before 5.50pm, with crews working in strong winds as the blaze spread to nearby properties.
No injuries were reported.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said investigators had been unable to determine the cause of the fire because of the level of damage and the instability of the remaining structure.
Kāpiti-Mana Area Commander Renee Perkins said police were still making enquiries.
“At this stage the cause of the fire is unknown, and is being treated as suspicious. No arrests or charges have been laid at this time,” Perkins said.
Neighbour Jamaine Tuhoe told RNZ the morning after the blaze that the fire appeared small at first before a large explosion.
“It was a little fire first, just coming out the kitchen window, and then I came outside and it just blew up,” he said.
“In a second it just exploded. The whole kitchen exploded and then the whole house was on fire. A big bang, ‘boom’, and that was it.”
The owner of the house, Thariq Rifki, of Rifki Homes, bought the property in late March as a mortgagee sale.
He said he welcomed the Police investigation and had lodged an insurance claim.
“There’s a lot of unknowns for me. I’ve lodged with insurance. They’re doing their bit. They’re investigating on things. I’m just helpless at the moment. I’ve got to wait and see what happens,” Rifki said.
He said he felt for people in the neighbourhood who were put in danger by the fire.
“I was very upset about it. When you see that you can imagine how bad the fire has been and I’m glad they got out in time,” Rifki said.