Return of cat boost for couple

Louise Wainman assess damage to the Tokarahi-Tapui Rd home she rented with husband Ian that was...
Louise Wainman assess damage to the Tokarahi-Tapui Rd home she rented with husband Ian that was destroyed by fire on Tuesday. PHOTO: DANIEL BIRCHFIELD
In a stroke of much-need luck, Louise and Ian Wainman finally have something to smile about three days after their Tokarahi home was destroyed by fire.

The Wainmans were left with just the clothes they were wearing and a handbag after the blaze at the rented four-bedroom homestead on Tokarahi-Tapui Rd on Tuesday morning.

Mr and Mrs Wainman visited the scene yesterday for the first time since the fire in the hope of finding their two cats - 15-year-old Myst'ry and 2-year-old Little Jade.

Mr Wainman discovered the latter, hungry and frightened, under a row of low-growing trees.

Sadly, it appeared Myst'ry perished in the fire.

Mrs Wainman said the couple were coping the best they could.

"I'm of the belief that out of this, something good has to happen.

"I think of ourselves like the bushfire people in Australia - they lost everything and were left with what they were standing in, like us. But, at least we have the car and we have got somewhere to stay."

They were now staying at the Midway Motel in Oamaru, where they would be based until February 14. Little Jade was being cared for at the North Otago SPCA.

Where they would go from there was not yet clear, Mrs Wainman said.

"We may have a way of getting a caravan to go down to the camping ground in Chelmer St. We are waiting to hear back about that, so that's a possibility."

She said the couple had been overwhelmed with messages of support and offers of clothing, food and other items flooding in, and they were grateful.

"It's been wonderful. I'm one of those people that thinks of everybody else, so it's hard to think of ourselves."

Mr Wainman had put some potatoes on to boil and was watching TV when the fire started in the kitchen.

Fire crews from Duntroon, Weston, Oamaru, Kurow and the Waitaki Voluntary Rural Fire Force, St John and Kurow police were deployed to the fire shortly before 9am.

The fire was contained and crews left the scene about 1pm.

Fire crews had initially struggled to contain the blaze, due to a shortage of water. Neighbouring residents had helped fire crews locate nearby creeks from which to pump water.

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