Pōkeno house fire: Devastating blaze inspires homeowner to help others
2 Feb, 2021 12:58 AM
3 minutes to read
Pōkeno house fire: Drivers pull off State Highway 1 as home engulfed. / Supplied
For the first time in his life, Kamaldeep Sharma now understands what it feels like to be homeless.
The Pōkeno resident was left without a home when a fire ripped through his backyard and onto the deck; before it engulfed his entire house on Sunday afternoon.
He was left distraught, he said. But it would be ordinary members of the public, close friends and the local Pōkeno community especially that would lift his spirits again.
Singh said the sell down was the start of winding up his liquor business, and he would consider his options next year for the six he retained. “You don’t sell everything at the same time,” he said. “I’m getting old as well and so it’s a good time to wind up and consolidate.”
STUFF/Stuff
Harjit Singh on his way to a hearing at the Employment Relations Authority in Christchurch last year. The ERA proceedings, the fines and the negative publicity had “upset the whole thing”, and were part of the reason for the sales, he said.