A Paeroa home was destroyed by fire in the evening hours of February 5.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand received a call around 2.39pm, to attend the blaze at a residential property on Willoughby St opposite Paeroa Domain.
Five fire appliances attended the callout, Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) said, along with police and ambulance.
The fire was caused by unattended cooking, a FENZ spokesperson said.
The house had working smoke alarms that alerted residents to the fire, which allowed all occupants to evacuate the home safely.
“Unattended cooking is the leading cause of house fires in New Zealand, never leave your cooking unattended,” FENZ said.
“We recommend testing all your smoke alarms every month and dusting or vacuuming them every six months.”
The home is now unlivable, and the family are currently in temporary accommodation.
Donations of food, dog and cat food, nappies, baby wipes, and kids’ clothing under five are being accepted at the Carehouse at 21 Willoughby St for the family.
