Hamilton man survives after breaking fire safety rules

By CATHY ARONSON

HAMILTON - A 71-year-old man narrowly escaped death after breaking what the Fire Service said were nearly all the cardinal rules of fire safety.

The man was rescued from his Hamilton East flat by neighbours last Saturday night after a fire started when he used his oven for heating the home.

Fire safety officer Craig Bain said the man had a nylon duvet wrapped around him and it caught fire while he was keeping warm near the oven.

The man went to his bedroom, not realising his duvet was on fire, and the whole room was set ablaze.

Mr Bain said the man had been drinking alcohol and was unaware of what was happening.

His rental flat, in a two-storey block of eight units, did not have a fire alarm to alert him or the neighbours.

Mr Bain said neighbours smelled the fire, rescued the man from the unit and called the Fire Service.

The Fire Service managed to confine the blaze to the bedroom and the elderly man spent the night in Waikato Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

"He is lucky to be alive because nearly every single rule was broken in this case.

"Ovens should not be used as heaters, material should be kept away from heat sources, alcohol and fire do not mix, and landlords should provide fire alarms."

Mr Bain said many elderly people used the ovens for heating but it was a dangerous and uneconomical practice. "It's easy to forget the oven is on and kitchen materials like curtains and tea-towels can easily catch fire.

"It's also a very expensive way to heat a home."

He said families should try to make sure their elderly relatives were aware of fire safety rules and had fire alarms in their homes.