Family loses almost everything

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“Pretty much everything has gone,” says Nirvana Roestenberg-Phoenix.

Nirvana, her husband Bradley Burgess and their two children, seven-year-old Matilda and five-year-old Evie were renting the home, in Chetwood Grove. Nirvana had been making bread in the kitchen, but forgot to turn the stove off. When she went back into the kitchen she saw a small fire had started. She did not consider she could try and put it out, so she rang the brigade.

By the time the Fire Brigade arrived the fire was well involved and it took firefighters around 15 minutes to extinguish it, the Incident Commander John Devereux told the “Independent Herald”.

The flames had completely gutted the kitchen and lounge and there was significant smoke damage throughout the other rooms, John said.

After the fire was contained, firefighters remained on the scene for about two more hours, checking for hot spots and making sure the fire was completely out.

“We were gone by about 10 o’clock,” John said.

The property comprised two flats, and as well as the significant damage to the top flat, the flat below it – although not affected by flames – suffered water damage.

Fire and Emergency received the call to the fire at 6:39pm and three pump appliances responded, the first arriving at 6:45pm. Two of the appliances were from the Johnsonville Fire Station while one was from the Newlands Fire Station. One thing Nirvana found hard was watching the flames spread during the time it took the fire brigade to arrive.

“When we called them it was just a small fire on the stove. By the time they got here it was fully engulfed, it took them so long to get here,” she says. Once they did arrive, the fire fighters were “really fabulous”.

“We are also really impressed by the community support. We were really awhied (hugged) by the community.”

The family has already received donations of much needed items from people in the Newlands community.

However any donations of items – particularly furniture, beds, appliances and adults clothing – would be highly appreciated. People who have items they would like to donate can contact Nirvana by email at nirvanaphoenix208@ yahoo.com.

Nirvana is a midwife, and the midwifery community has also been reaching out to her and her family. In fact it was a midwife colleague who has set up the Givealittle page.

“Nirvana, Bradley and their two daughters lost everything in a house fire on the evening of 24th July 2023,” the Givealittle page says. Nirvana is a new graduate midwife and amazing mother in Wellington and Bradley works in IT.

“The property was a rental and although safe they have nothing but the clothes on their back with all belongings, clothing and personal items gone in the fire. They are staying with immediate family but would appreciate any support to get the bare essentials to them and back on their feet,” the page says.

A Givealittle page has also been set up for the mother and her baby in the bottom flat.

“My friend and her only son was affected by a house fire [on 24 July] in Newlands,” the page says.

“Their unit was also affected [by the fire] due to the huge amount of water to put out the fire. Everything was soaked and not useable any more.

“She is a single mum who is a full-time carer of [her] premature child who just came off his oxygen but is still on feeding tube.

“They have no immediate family which makes it harder now because they have to start over… They are currently staying at their friend’s place until they find a rental property,” the post says.

People can donate by visiting https:// givealittle.co.nz/cause/a-helping-hand-to-afriend-and-her-baby-who-lost.

Although smoke alarms were not needed at Monday’s fire and the house had a smoke alarm that was totally destroyed by the flames, Incident Commander Devereux said it was a good opportunity to remind people of the importance of having working smoke alarms in their homes.

The Johnsonville Fire Brigade can provide people any advice on smoke alarms.

A firefighter can also visit people and provide advice on issues such as placement of the alarms, and can help people install them. This service is free. People wanting advice or assistance can contact the Johnsonville Fire Station at 04 478 5007.