Dunedin Police are investigating the couch fire that saw a house on Castle Street come alight in Orientation Week. Campus Cop John Woodhouse says the investigation is ongoing. However, he believes it is likely that non-students were involved.
Mr Woodhouse said that while couch fires are anticipated in Dunedin during Orientation Week, the clear level of intent to damage property and lives is not. The incident follows reports that of the thirteen people arrested during Orientation Week, only two were students.
“Realistically we’ve got an expectation that there’s going to be the odd couch fire, but this occurrence in Castle Street where the couch was set alight beside the flat is incredibly out of character for a couch fire. I personally would not be at all surprised if in the final analysis the person who lit the fire was not a student” says Mr Woodhouse.
The couch fire, which occurred at 12am on Sunday 28 February, was started at the back of the Castle Street property where it caused the flat to catch alight. Though the residents at the property in question described the incident as “really scary”, they praised Campus Watch for their valiant efforts.
“We just got woken up to screaming. Izzy was in her room and she came down told us all to get out so we all just ran out of the house. I went down the alley way and saw it all but then cops shooed me away and told me to go back out front. Campus watch moved the couch while it was on fire” said Alex Jenkin, a resident of the flat.
Campus Cop John Woodhouse went on to condemn the behaviour as playing “Russian Roulette” with people’s lives.
“We think if that behaviour continues or couch fires in general there is going to be a tragedy and a student is going to lose their life. So we’re working really hard to ensure that doesn’t happen.”
However, according to Mr Woodhouse this latest incident doesn’t reflect a trend in behaviour in North Dunedin.
“I would be very fearful if that was a trend. The trend is that there has been a 30 percent reduction in couch fires from 2015 and 2014. I believe the efforts from Campus Watch and the efforts of the Police and the judiciary to not offer diversion or discharge without conviction for this type of activity and also the increased surveillance that’s been put in place.”
The University of Otago’s Orientation Week has historically resulted in a number of notable incidents. In 2009 riots broke out throughout Dunedin causing widespread injuries and arrests with those involved. The severity of incidents have evidently diminished in recent years following a harder line on student behaviour from Campus Watch and the University. During Orientation Week this year a student was arrested for throwing eggs at first year students on their way to the Toga Party at Forsyth Barr Stadium, a long-standing tradition in University of Otago culture.