Ōpōtiki house fire amid heightened gang tensions

Fire ripped through a house in Ōpōtiki on Sunday night amid increased gang tensions in the eastern Bay of Plenty town. The house was well alight when the crews arrived, fire and emergency shift manager Josh Pennefather says. Police had expected to complete the scene examination on St John Street on Sunday evening. “Police will maintain a visible and increased presence in the Ōpōtiki area over the coming days,” he said. In 2019, Ōpōtiki had the dubious honour of being the murder capital of New Zealand with 1.25 homicides per 1000 people recorded between 2004 and 2019 – the highest rate in the country.