A 10-year-old boy was transferred to Dunedin Hospital with severe burns to his face and limbs after a building in Invercargill was gutted by fire yesterday.
Eight fire crews and a ground unit were called to the Pall Mall Arcade building in Dee St just before 1am and videos from the scene showed 1m-high flames streaming from the windows of the building.
About six people were evacuated, with all of them treated for smoke inhalation, and the boy was taken to hospital for treatment.
A Givealittle page was created by a family friend to raise money for the family, who lost everything.
"We are grateful that [he] is still with us but now begins the mammoth task of replacing his possessions and those of the family, whose home has been gutted," they said.
The New Zealand Herald reported the fire started in a bookstore that belonged to a couple in their 60s who had family members staying with them in a separate dwelling above the store.
Among them was another younger couple and another man, also in his 60s.
Extended family of the couple involved told the Herald they understood the fire had started in the couple’s grandson’s bedroom as a result of an electrical fault.
"He’s in quite a serious condition," an extended family member said.
Fire crews worked through yesterday at the site, with part of Dee St between Victoria Ave and Tay St being closed to northbound traffic.
Speaking to the Otago Daily Times yesterday afternoon, fire investigator Murray Milne-Maresca said the investigation was still ongoing.
"The building is being assessed by a structural engineer.
"We can’t start our investigation until it’s safe to do so."
Mr Milne-Maresca said there was no indication the fire would be classified as suspicious, and they had no early indication of what might have happened.
Invercargill City Council interim consents and compliance group manager Jonathan Shaw said the building was not owned by the council and a building compliance officer had been to the site yesterday.
"The building owner is responsible for making sure that the building is safe, and we are working closely with them to ensure precautions are taken."
