The fire began in a bedroom of this rural homestead. With these sort of New Zealand homes, the buildings tend to be constructed almost solely from timber, and fire can gain a quick and intense hold if not brought under control early.
The fire begins to develop dramatically as the firefighter's efforts are thwarted by poor water supplies and the design of the building. Its fair to say that the fire is now at a "fully involved stage", and saving any of the structure of the house now seems unlikely.

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