Cross country run becomes fire fight

Police recruits on an 8 km cross country run today had another reason to sweat, when they helped battle a house fire en route.

Inspector Sean McManus, Head of School of Initial Training at the Royal New Zealand Police College in Porirua, says Recruit Wing 271 were completing their Wing cross country event this afternoon when they discovered a house fire in the Wellington suburb of Papakowhai.

“When the recruits exited an off-road track, several of them noticed smoke from the rear of a residential address.

“On closer investigation, they found a fire at the rear of the house caused by a food smoker. Fire had got in behind the exterior wall of the house and was into the roof area.”

Inspector McManus says the recruits quickly obtained hoses at the burning house, and from neighbouring properties, and kept the fire under control until the Fire Service arrived.

“The occupant was very grateful for the quick thinking and actions of the recruits and I too applaud their efforts.”

Once their fire fighting duties were over, the recruits continued on to finish their run in stoic fashion.