A bystander to a fire in North Dunedin in which a flat and police officers were shot at indiscriminately with fireworks says it appeared multiple groups of people were involved.
A top Dunedin police officer yesterday labelled the actions of a group of young men who caused the fire in Castle St as ‘‘moronic’’ and ‘‘beyond comprehension’’.
Emergency services were called to a fire caused by fireworks in Castle St late on Thursday night.
Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said a group of ‘‘young males’’ were setting off fireworks down an alleyway.
They were aiming them at a pile of rubbish which caught fire.
The rubbish was piled against a house.
The tenants woke up and put the fire out, he said.
A bystander, who did not want to be named, said the flames were about 3m to 4m high.
There were multiple people rushing with buckets of water to put out the fire, she said.
‘‘It was just spreading so fast.’’
Another group of men were also playing with fireworks in the area and shot the fireworks at police and witnesses.
She did not think the men realised the police were there and were just shooting at people in the area.
Snr Sgt Dinnissen said all the men were yet to be located and inquiries were ongoing.
Police urged people to treat fireworks with respect and common sense, ‘‘unlike the moronic acts displayed’’.
‘‘If the fire had gone unnoticed this could have led to loss of life.’’
To aim fireworks at attending officers or anyone was ‘‘beyond comprehension’’, he said.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said crews and appliances from Dunedin and Willowbank attended.
