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Warwick Smith / Stuff
Firefighters rushed to the scene as flames engulfed this Heretaunga St home in Palmerston North Wednesday morning.
A family that escaped their burning home mourns the death of their dog.
Firefighters were called to a fire on Heretaunga St, Palmerston North, shortly after 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. They initially thought it was a car fire threatening a home.
But upon arrival they discovered that a house was engulfed in flames.
David Lim, 63, was sleeping when he heard what he thought was a car alarm, but when he opened his garage door he found thick black smoke.
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“For a while I thought that maybe I could put out the fire, but I saw that the fire was very strong, so I took my wife and daughter out of the house because it was too strong.
“It was awful. The smoke was very intense. I felt like I was drowning.
“I couldn’t go back to look for my dog. She was in a cage in a room. [Manju, a Japanese spitz] now he is resting. She has passed away. “
As they fled to safety, the family was left with only the pajamas they were in.
Warwick Smith / Stuff
The house was badly damaged by the fire.
“We saw someone, a lady, and asked her to call [the fire brigade]”Lim said.” She was so nice, but I didn’t get her number. Thanks to her she was very helpful. “
Lim was treated at Palmerston North Hospital for smoke inhalation. After blood tests and X-rays he was discharged, but was asked to rest.
The family takes refuge in a neighbor’s house until other arrangements can be made.
Palmerston North Fire Station Officer Richard Harvey said there was significant fire, heat and smoke damage to the home.
The fire was extinguished at 2.30am, but the teams remained in place until 6.30am, moistening the ruins.
Police and fire investigators were at the home later in the morning inspecting the remains of the property.
Fire instigator Murray Kidd said the cause of the fire was accidental, triggered by the charging of a lithium-ion battery in the underground garage.
Warwick Smith / Stuff
Police and fire investigators remained at the scene of the blaze Wednesday morning.
Smoke rose up the stairs of the house and set off alarms in the upstairs living areas.
His advice was not to overcharge lithium ion batteries, use them according to instructions, and keep an eye on them.
Lim said that he had planned to discharge the battery before going to bed, but had forgotten.
“You hear about fires, but you wouldn’t expect it to happen to your house.”
Four fire crews from Palmerston North, Milson and Bunnythorpe participated in fighting the blaze.
More than 70 fires in the past 10 years have been caused by lithium-ion batteries, according to a 2020 fire and emergency report.
There is limited research on the number and effect of battery fires, “making it difficult to fully appreciate the extent of the problem,” the report says.
