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A Dunedin house fire has inflamed a year-long dispute between firefighters and their bosses after it broke out during a one-hour strike.
The fire in Thomson St, Caversham started at 12.40pm during strike action by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) staff, which meant volunteer brigades were sent to fight the blaze.
Fenz went after striking firefighters saying it would have taken about one minute for the professional firefighter crews at the Lookout Point station to arrive at the address. Instead volunteers from Brighton and Ravensbourne were sent.
Fenz Deputy National Commander Megan Stiffler said it took the first volunteer crews eight minutes to get to the scene.
“An assistant area commander arrived at 12.50pm to find the house well involved in fire.
“Volunteer fire crews were deployed from Ravensbourne, Outram, Port Chalmers and Brighton due to paid firefighters being on strike.”
Even though a large volunteer force was sent out, there was still volunteer coverage while the strike was under way, DNC Stiffler said.
“We have repeatedly warned the risk the New Zealand Professional Firefighter’s Union [NZPFU] are placing the public in every time they strike.
“We continue to call on the NZPFU to call off these reckless strikes.”
NZPFU national secretary Wattie Watson said firefighters did not like to see this sort of event happen, but they had no option but to remain on strike.
“Crews were immediately deployed upon the end of the strike.”
The NZPFU and Fenz have not met for discussions since February this year, and Friday’s fire broke out during their 52nd strike since August 2025.
“The risk is increasing every day, whether we are on strike or not due to Fenz’s inability to have reliable working appliances, sufficient staff on station, or the necessary types of specialist appliances,” Ms Watson said.
While Fenz remained stoic and unwilling to meet at the table to come to an agreement, they were risking the public’s safety, she said.
The union had asked Fenz to make a revised offer repeatedly, with no results.
“They need to sort out their attitude, quite frankly.
“Fenz need to put the safety of the community and our members at the top of the priority list and get the deal done.”
Fenz and NZPFU have been locked in negotiations for a collective employment agreement for career firefighters for more than a year.
A neighbour said they called 111 after seeing the roof of the house on fire.
“We came down and we saw the roof was black and it was only a little bit of smoke, so we went closer and we realised the roof was on fire.
“Within the span of about 10 minutes, the fire started going through the house’s windows, which burst.”
They said they were unaware if people lived in the house.
— Additional reporting Felicity Dear
laine.priestley@odt.co.nz