A Blenheim couple's backyard fence burst into flames in a blaze so baffling it left fire investigators scratching their heads and the internet running wild with theories last week.
The fire broke out while home renovation content creator Chris Anker was working on a house extension alongside his wife, Nicky.
"The neighbour came around the main roadside and just said, 'your fence is on fire'," Anker said.
"I walked over to the main door and kind of realised what the heck was going on."
The couple rushed outside and sprayed the fence down with a hose, largely bringing the fire under control themselves before deciding to call the Marlborough Fire Brigade as a precaution.
Firefighters arrived and inspected both the Ankers' property and the neighbouring section but were unable to identify a cause.
"We were unsure about calling them because it seemed like a small fire, but it was suspicious. They were super quick to come out."
A buried electric line running underneath the property was initially considered as a possible cause but was ruled out. The fence had also been treated only with a water-based stain, with no fuels or accelerants involved.
Footage of the fire has since gone viral, drawing a flood of theories from followers of their home renovation channel, which documents the couple's projects on TikTok.
"There's been some absolute doozies," Chris said. "My favourite is a wizard cast a fireball."
Nicky said her pick was the Laser Kiwi, the design that became a cult favourite during the 2015-16 flag referendum.
Chris said the most likely explanation for the real cause was an ember carried by the wind.
"We could kind of ascertain by the smoke coming out that it was going sideways," he said. "Some sort of ignition source managed to get onto that central railing and then it burnt sideways."
The damaged fence has now jumped up the couple's renovation to-do list, alongside an unfinished bathroom and the house extension already under way.
"We live in a really windy part of Aotearoa," Nicky said.
"The boards are now loose, so we do need to pull those off and get onto it."
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