Motel fire ‘chaos’ takes proprietor by surprise
A Christchurch motel owner says there was ‘‘chaos’’ after an early morning blaze ended with a man in hospital with critical injuries.
Ricken Li, owner of Central City Motel Apartments, said he was made aware of the fire that tore through a ground floor unit started, about 6.45am yesterday. ‘‘It is just chaos,’’ he said. ‘‘I have no idea how it started. Your guess is as good as mine.’’
Firefighters were called to the ’’well-involved fire’’ at the Barbadoes St motel and a man was removed from the unit, Fire Service southern communication acting shift manager Laura Prior said.
A St John spokesman said a man in his 20s was taken to Christchurch Hospital with critical injuries following the blaze.
Windows were smashed and the blackened remains of a mattress lay in the car park outside when The Press visited the site.
Fire investigators were on site about midday, combing the debris for clues.
At the same time, two people were treated for moderate injuries after a living-room fire on Peverel St in Riccarton.
‘‘Crews from Sockburn and Addington attended and the fire was out on arrival,’’ Prior said.
The two injured occupants were taken to Christchurch Hospital with moderate injuries, a St John spokesman said.
The causes of the fires were not yet known, Prior said.
The blazes come less than 12 hours after a fatal car explosion in Queenstown.
Police and Fire Service were investigating after a station wagon with a person inside burst into flames in the resort town’s suburb of Kelvin Heights about 9pm on Tuesday.