Takeaway clue in ashes of siege fire
It was too dangerous for investigators to enter the charred ruins of a Porirua house where police dog Gazza died and a policeman was injured leaping through a window – so the arson is likely to remain a mystery.
The suspicious fire ripped through the state house only weeks after gunman Pita Tekira’s 26-hour siege ended with his death in another flat on the same street on April 23.
The arson investigation at 26a Kokiri Cres has not yet been cracked – however, there is one clue.
Someone left behind some food in polystyrene container, the kind commonly used by Chinese takeaway shops.
‘‘This contained a metal spoon and still looked relatively fresh when it was found by police,’’ Detective Sergeant Dave Jones said.
‘‘We are currently testing this container and spoon to see if we can find any evidence on these items.’’
Fire investigator Russell Postlewaight described how the ruins were too hazardous to walk through.
‘‘The fire started in the lounge and burned freely and fiercely through the rest of the house. It made it difficult for the firefighters to make entry.’’
His report, released under the Official Information Act, said the Housing New Zealand flat’s occupant was away on May 1 when neighbours awoke to the sound of explosions.
One told investigators he stepped outside in time to see fire coming from the lounge window.
He called 111 and the first fire appliance was there within six minutes, but the house was already consumed.
Its roof contained asbestos, a fire retardant historically used in construction, which poses a serious health hazard when dust particles become airborne.
The asbestos and ‘‘severe’’ destruction of the upper floor led police and fire investigators to agree it was too dangerous to inspect inside, so they examined the house from the outside only, using a fire engine’s ‘‘snorkel’’ to lift them over the property.
The report showed the house was so badly damaged that a chest of drawers had fallen through the top floor, landing in the hallway.
The fire was concluded to have started in the lounge, judging by burn patterns and the amount of damage in the room.
But because of the limited access, it was not possible to determine the exact point of origin, and its cause was therefore ‘‘undetermined’’.
Witnesses were apprehensive, the report said. ‘‘Due to the very sensitive nature of recent events in Kokiri Cres, witnesses were reluctant to give their names, but were willing to offer information on what they had seen and heard.’’
A Housing NZ spokeswoman said the ruins had since been demolished.
Jones urged the food container’s owner to come forward, and anyone who had information about the clue or the fire to tell police by phoning their local station or calling Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.