Stopping Tuatapere's only grocery store from going up in flames was ''the save of a lifetime'', the local fire chief says.
''She was all go - flames everywhere,'' Tuatapere Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Brendon Diack said of the scene that greeted firefighters when they arrived at two burning buildings on Tuatapere's main street late Sunday night.
''It was hot down there, I can tell you that. The boys worked well together. It was a great team effort.''
The crew, and three others from Otautau, Orepuki and Invercargill, arrived at 10.20pm and spent five hours conquering the fire in the more-than 100-year-old neighbouring buildings.
The fire was difficult to extinguish due to the materials stored inside, including bus seats and tyres, Mr Diack said.
Only the teamwork of the four crews saved the neighbouring Four Square - the only grocery store in the town of about 600.
Scorch marks were visible yesterday on the grocery store, which was only 3m away from the blaze.
The fire in the engineering shop and former school bus headquarters - now used for storage - was put out relatively quickly but firefighters remained until 3.30am yesterday, ''mopping up'' the smouldering remains, he said.
Yesterday, fire risk management officer Mike Cahill, of Invercargill, said the fire was being treated as suspicious.
Once scene examinations were completed, local contractor Stephen Crack was called in to demolish the former bus depot while firefighters dampened down hot spots.
Tuatapere Community Board chairman Justin Lewis said the response from fire crews was ''amazing''.
''We were really quite concerned,'' Mr Lewis said.
''The Four Square is pretty important to us; we don't really have much else - we were a bit worried that we were going to lose it.''
A woman working at the Four Square yesterday said she was too busy to comment.
Dan Sewpersad, of Nightcaps, said he had owned the buildings since 1990.
His son ran the engineering business with another extended family member, Warren Taylor.
Mr Sewpersad said the buildings were insured but he had recently reduced the insurance on the bus depot because that business had moved.
