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A fire has destroyed the home of a north Waikato whānau related to the New Zealand singer Stan Walker.
Firefighters were called to a Ngāruawāhia house at 7.40am on Sunday, a Fire and Emergency spokesperson said.
It began when sockets and wires from an old dryer sparked and caught alight in the laundry. The fire went up to the roof and into the bathroom and kitchen.
Two fire engines fought the blaze for about two-and-a-half hours.
The eldest daughter in the family, 24-year-old Nailah Smith, said when the smoke alarm went off, her mother went to have a look and saw how serious it was.
“She just went ‘oh shit, everyone get out’,” Smith said.
Smith said they were lucky that it started in the laundry as it was the room furthest away from the bedrooms but it had wrecked the laundry, bathroom and kitchen.
Damage had been caused to other rooms and all the belongings in the house from smoke and putting the fire out.
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“If you can… Please help… Any help is fully appreciated… nga mihi,” Walker wrote on Facebook.
Walker posted a link to the Givealittle page set up by the family on social media, saying the fire was devastating for his whānau.
Supplied
Flames destroyed a house in Ngaruawahia when it caught fire on June 11.
“So devastating for my whanau,” Walker wrote.
“If you can… Please help… Any help is fully appreciated… nga mihi.”
Smith said “uncle Stan” was whānau and Walker’s brother called first thing on Sunday morning, which the family were grateful for.
The family escaped the house safely, but their cat Simba died in the fire and another called Bear needed vet treatment.
Smith’s sister, who lived in the house, is hapū (pregnant) and due on July 1 but had lost everything they’d prepared for the baby.
Supplied
A Givealittle page has been set up to help the family recover from the fire that engulfed their home.
Smith said her family feel lucky and the amount of help they have received after the tragic event was “honestly astonishing”.
“My mum has spent her entire life helping people, she would give the clothes off her back to anyone so when people came out of the woodwork and returned the favour it just made sense.
Supplied/Supplied
The fire in Ngaruawahia ripped through the ceiling and roof of a family home.
“It’s been really humbling that complete strangers have read my little blurb and helped us. I feel really blessed and can now worry about the smaller things.”
A spokesperson for Walker said he was in the middle of a week of writing and recording and was unable to be reached.
Over $13,000 had been donated on Wednesday afternoon.
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