The decline of the Dunedin couch fire
"I first started as a reporter in Dunedin with the Otago Daily Times in 2008, and would cover dozens of couch fires, often involving a phrase similar to 'one or two idiots'," writes Hamish McNeilly.
"Coverage included the 2009 Undie 500 riots, where bottles were thrown at firefighters, drunks surfed fire appliances, and there were many failed attempts to jump over burning couches.
But in recent years those stories have gone, ahem, dry."
Find out what's behind the decline of the Dunedin couch fire in this week's The Mish on Substack
Want to receive The Mish in your inbox? It's free! Take a look and sign up here .
Poll: Do you set New Year’s resolutions?
🎉 2026 is almost here!
We’re curious ... how do you welcome it?
Do you set resolutions, follow special traditions, or just go with the flow?
-
10.4% Yes! New Year, New Me
-
20.9% Yes - but I rarely stick to them
-
68.7% Nah - not for me
Open New Years!
Check out our whimsical styles at the Red Cross Shop K Road 🦋 OPEN EVERY DAY over New Years - regular hours 🩷
📍191 Karangahape Road, Auckland Central
🕐 Mon-Sun: 9.00am to 5.30pm
📞 093778072
Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
We want to hear from you: would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Keen for the details? Read up about the scrapped collection trial here.
-
85.1% Same!
-
14.9% Would have liked to try something different
Loading…
