Smoke alarms save family as fire rips through home
Smoke alarms saved a family of six who woke at midnight to find flames engulfing the kitchen of their state house in Hamilton.
Emergency services were called to the fire in the middle unit of a block of four on Tennyson Rd in Enderley at 12.16am on Monday.
At its peak 20 firefighters were involved in containing the blaze, and stopping it from spreading to adjoining homes.
Hamilton Fire Brigade senior station officer Alban Osborne said the fire started in the kitchen.
It spread rapidly through the twobedroom unit.
When firefighters arrived, the home was ‘‘well-involved in fire’’.
‘‘Fortunately, they have a working smoke alarm.
‘‘The smoke alarm went off, and it woke them up, and it allowed them to get outside safely prior to the fire developing,’’ he said.
It was understood the father woke to the alarm and got the family of four children out the front door.
‘‘They then called the fire brigade, so they have done all the right things.’’
The second unit, measuring 25 by 15 metres, was completely destroyed by fire, he said.
But fire crews managed to stop the flames creeping through to the other adjoining Housing NZ flats, using hose deliveries.
After examining the charred remains on Monday, fire investigator Peter Hallett said the blaze started on the stove top of the oven.
He understood, from speaking with residents, that a pan ignited after an element was accidentally turned on.
From July 1 this year it became law to have working smoke alarms fitted in all rental homes.
Police also attended but Senior Sergeant Ray Malcolmson said there was nothing suspicious about the blaze.