PHOTO: PARADISE TRUSTThursday was the fifth anniversary of a fire that destroyed the 133-year-old homestead at the Paradise Trust property, near Glenorchy. During a violent thunderstorm, lightning struck a transformer box near the Paradise Trust property about 6am, sending a power surge up the lines into the historic homestead. They drove up to the property to see the homestead in flames, and she was overcome by a feeling of hopelessness. But that investment had a saving grace: a pair of fire doors between the homestead and an adjoining accommodation wing limited the fire's spread. Glenorchy builder Mike Kingan, who had completed the restoration of the homestead four years earlier only to see it burn down, was instrumental in that, she said.

Source: Otago Daily Times May 24, 2019 16:32 UTC