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An overnight fire on Monday night heavily damaged the home of an old man in Whangamōmona.
A Whangamōmona man’s house has burned to the ground while he was in hospital.
Firefighters from Toko, Eltham and Stratford were called to the address around 9.30pm on Monday and found the house, on Whangamōmona Rd, “sitting on the ground,” a Fire and Emergency spokesperson said.
The town is a self-proclaimed Republic and its president John Herlihy said the house belonged to an old, shy man who was being treated for pneumonia at the hospital.
“He is not on social media and he is a very reclusive fella, so he might not be aware of the fire,” Herlihy said.
Herlihy said the man was “very, very lucky” to be away, as the fire could have caused him serious injuries.
He said the man’s companion dog escaped from the house fire and was found wandering in the area by firefighters.
New Plymouth fire investigator Matt Crabtree said when firefighters arrived in Whangamōmona they found the house burned to the ground.
He said inquiries into the blaze, which firefighters did not up out with until 1am, were ongoing and no causes have been established as of Tuesday.
Crabtree said firefighters would go to Whangamōmona again on Tuesday.
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