A fire investigator will today begin work to determine what caused a major fire in Dunedin that made a Portobello home uninhabitable and caused the evacuation of multiple nearby properties. Emergency services were called to the blaze in Beaconsfield Rd about 4.30pm yesterday. No one was injured in the blaze and the young family with three children living in the home had evacuated. Though the fire was brought under control by 7.30pm, strong winds meant the threat of further flare-ups remained possible. Fire and Emergency NZ duty shift manager Brent Dunn told the Otago Daily Times today that heavy rain on Saturday and overnight had made a difference helping to dampen down hotspots.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 21, 2020 19:52 UTC