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A rural house near Gore was badly damaged in a fierce fire.
About 20 volunteer firefighters were called to the Croydon Bush property this afternoon.
A New Zealand Fire and Emergency spokesperson said a fire safety investigator was on the scene and the cause of the fire was not determined, but was not considered suspicious.
The home’s occupants were out when the fire started, but returned while firefighters were dealing with the blaze on Croydon Siding Rd, Croydon Bush, about 4 miles northwest of Gore, the spokesman said.
Two fire fighting appliances from Gore, two more from Mataura and three water tankers, from Gore, Tapanui and Riversdale, helped fight the blaze after crews were alerted at 4:42 p.m.
The local water supply was limited, and tanker trucks operated a transportation system to bring more water to the fire, while crews tried to prevent the fire from destroying the house, which had been heavily involved in the fire when they arrived.
The fire was extinguished at 6.15 p.m., but firefighters continued to put out the fire and use thermal imaging equipment to search for hot spots and eliminate them, the spokesman said.
Due to limited space near the home, most of the water came from a couple of appliances that were closer to the property.
The home was “badly damaged,” but full details of the damage to the home and a nearby garage were not immediately available.
