SAM MORTON Supplied Up in smoke: A house in the Marlborough Sounds was destroyed by fire yesterday. Neighbours raced buckets of water from the beach as they tried to save a burning home in the Queen Charlotte Sounds yesterday. But despite their best efforts, the fire ripped through the bach in the Bay of Many Coves burning it to the ground just before midday. The bach, understood to be the home of Julian Mathieson, is west of Snape Point, near Milton Bay. Bay of Many Coves Resort manager Nick Goodhew said he grabbed some staff and rushed to help when he saw the smoke. “I think Julian was here having breakfast at the time, then he looked over and realised. We (staff) boated over and did what we could, but sadly Julian has lost his home.” Mr Goodhew said staff and other residents did a bucket run, but had to give up on saving the house and concentrate on a nearby sleepout. “We managed to save the sleepout, which was something positive I guess.” Queen Charlotte Sounds zone J fire officer Kathie Aldridge said her rescue boat was stowed away as a rough southerly was due to hit, which was frustrating. “I had no boats available on the jetty, we could literally do nothing. “The Picton fire brigade rushed over, but it’s that time, you know, it’s difficult to save a fire slowly. “When we all arrived, she (the bach) was pretty well engulfed – I have my doubts even a pump would have saved it.” An Outward Bound group had phoned Mrs Aldridge when they saw the smoke from the sea, and although she had authorised a permitted fire, she knew the area did not match up. It was not clear how the fire started, Mrs Aldrige said. The bach had been in the area for a long time, she said. Picton volunteer firefighters travelled on the Coastguard rescue boat to the fire. Mr Mathieson could not be reached yesterday. – The Marlborough Express