Fast-acting heroes earn police praise after woman catches fire at Dunedin petrol station

The scene of the incident yesterday. Photo / ODT

A petrol pump attendant has been hailed a hero after extinguishing a burning woman in Dunedin last night.

Emergency services were called to the Caltex Anthony Motors in Wakari at 7.25pm, following reports a woman was on fire.

A woman at the scene, at the corner of Taieri Rd and Berwick St, told the Otago Daily Times she was waiting for a bus when she heard a ''shriek and all these screams''.

''I saw a person burning from the waist up, and I ran to the petrol station and screamed ''someone's on fire, someone's on fire''.

An attendant from the petrol station then rushed with an extinguisher to the woman's aid, while another man, John Fisher, who had been driving nearby, covered her with a sheet.

''It was very scary to see someone like that,'' the visibly upset woman said at the scene.

The petrol attendant then doused the burning woman with an extinguisher.

''He was awesome,'' Mr Fisher said.

Approached for comment , the attendant gave his name as Harrison Skeggs and said: ''I did what I felt like I needed to do ... that's it'', before leaving work in a waiting vehicle.

Firefighters covered the scene with tarpaulins as St John paramedics carried the woman into an ambulance.

The 29-year-old remains in Dunedin Hospital with serious burns.

Senior Sergeant Darryl Lennane confirmed police were not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.

Police praised the actions of the service station attendant and the passer-by who assisted the woman.