An Auckland volunteer firefighter who raced to a fire that destroyed his own uninsured home, is urging other homeowners to get the wiring of their houses checked.
Tony Keals, a volunteer with the Kawakawa Bay volunteer fire brigade in Auckland's southeast, spoke to TVNZ1's Seven Sharp as he stood in front of the charred ruins of his family's house.
He told how he had turned out to a fire on Tuesday this week, initially not realising it was at his own house.
"As a volunteer firemen we get alerted when we get a callout. And I knew straight away what was going on. So I just raced straight out here, out to the fire," Mr Keals said.
"Everyone was okay at that stage, pretty traumatised now though," he said.
"We saved ourselves and that's about it."
Mr Keals said the house is "a bit of a state, there's not a lot left. There's a bit in the front room, but whatever's left is just mushy, sooty mess."
And the property was not insured.
"I had a review of the policy last year. And being a 1929 house, they wanted it rewired and a whole lot of other bits and pieces done. So that sort of put a cross through that one."
Asked what would he say to other families so they don't have to experience what he has, Mr Keals has a simple message.
"Go and see somebody about your wiring because there are so many people that will be in a very similar situation."
SHARE ME