Neighbours evacuated during Mosgiel fire

Neighbours of a Mosgiel property were briefly evacuated early yesterday after a vacant Housing New Zealand property went up in flames.

Fire crews from Mosgiel, Roslyn and Lookout Point were able to extinguish the fire, but not before  one side of the property at  43 Perth Street was extensively damaged.

"We were told en route that the property was vacant, but we sent a crew through the front door to make sure of that," Mosgiel station officer Steven Turnbull said.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand  (Fenz) was called at 2.42am  yesterday.  When  personnel arrived,  they  concentrated on protecting the property on the right of the house, which was beginning to show heat damage. The neighbour on the left was briefly taken out of their house as a precaution, and police had already evacuated the neighbour on the right.

"We sorted that out that for the neighbour [on the right]," Mr Turnbull said.

"Our second Mosgiel crew went through the front door and managed to cut the fire off and protect the left-hand side ... the right-hand side is completely gone, but the left-hand  [side] is largely untouched; smoke damage, heat damage, that’s about it."

A Fenz  investigator has declared the fire to be suspicious and police are now investigating.

The property was having work done on it: painters had been in the property during the week, as had electricians, Mr Turnbull said.

"It had been burning for quite some time. I’m unable to say when the fire began, but [through]  experience and looking at the scene I would suggest it had been burning for quite some time before the neighbours were alerted to it."

The property had working smoke alarms which were going when Fenz arrived at the property, he said. 

- Mike Houlahan