File photo / NZ Herald
A 100-year-old woman has been rescued from a large house fire in Gore this morning.
Emergency services were called to the Toronto St property just after 5am.
Volunteer firefighters arrived at 5.12am to find the house engulfed in flames.
An elderly man was rescued from inside the house by crew wearing breathing apparatus.
He was taken to Gore Hospital by St John with serious injuries, and has since been transferred to Dunedin Hospital.
The woman, found outside the house, was taken to hospital with smoke inhalation.
Two more nearby fire brigades assisted in bringing the "very good fire" under control.
A spokesman for Southern Fire communications said fire safety is now at the scene investigating how the fire started.
He confirmed the occupants were elderly, with one being over 100 and one in their nineties.
There was a working smoke alarm, which appears to have saved their lives, he said.
One issue seemed harder to agree on than most - how big the crowd was.