Several explosions followed before the fire enveloped their covered carport and the accessible room behind, with Tuapawa\u2019s partner losing his medical equipment to the flames.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as [the carport] caught fire, it just melted,\u201d Tuapawa said.<\/p>\n
Family members worked to move their possessions this morning after reported looting overnight. Photo \/ Jason Oxenham<\/p>\n
\u201cThe end room\u2019s gone, the washhouse and up the stairwell … my room\u2019s all smoke-damaged.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy partner\u2019s room and bathroom\u2019s pretty much gone … We\u2019ve had to put him at the hospital because his equipment\u2019s gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her partner, who is in a wheelchair, escaped with the help of her daughter and niece.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe girls got him out. I was trying to get our hose to try and keep it down. Everybody else around here brought their hoses over to try and help.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several gas canisters could be seen littering the courtyard of the adjoining property.<\/p>\n
Tuapawa said the homes were designed for those with disability needs and there were between 10 and 12 people living across both at the time.<\/p>\n
Karyn Tuapawa inspecting the damage at her Beach Haven home. Photo \/ Jason Oxenham<\/p>\n
Her partner had been taken to hospital last night for his care to continue, having lost vital equipment in the blaze.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Emergency services] told us they were going to board it up. And we got here this morning and apparently people were trying to come in and loot. So I\u2019m taking all my stuff now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fire and Emergency New Zealand said it was alerted to the fire shortly after 6pm, with seven fire appliances and crews from across the city attending alongside support staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey found a two-story property well alight, and the fire had spread to an adjoining house,\u201d Fire and Emergency said.<\/p>\n
\u201cInitial reports were that people might still be inside, but everybody was subsequently accounted for.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt took firefighters about an hour to bring the fire under control and the last crew left the scene at 10.30pm.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fire razed large parts of the two-home property. Photo \/ Jason Oxenham<\/p>\n
Some attending crews were called in from as far as Parnell Station, Tuapawa said.<\/p>\n
An investigation has since been launched into the cause of the fire.<\/p>\n