Hero drags man from blaze

An elderly man was dragged from a burning Canterbury house but his rescuer was beaten back by flames as they went back to help a woman still in the house.

Firefighters managed to rescue the elderly woman in last night's house fire at Rangiora, north of Christchurch, said Rangiora Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Ross Ditmer.

Emergency services were alerted to the blaze about 9.20pm.

The fire was spotted by a husband and wife and the husband made a snap decision to go in, Mr Ditmer said.

He managed to drag the man out, who was just inside the house. However, when he went to get the elderly woman he was beaten back by the flames, Mr Ditmer said.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatuses found the woman on the floor in the bedroom.

She was taken to Christchurch Hospital with severe burns. She was reported to be in a critical condition last night.

St John Ambulance reported that two other people had minor injuries.

Mr Ditmer said the key message was "get out, stay out".

"We believe one (of the occupants) tried to suppress the fire, and it nearly cost him his life."

The cause of the fire would be investigated today but from early comments it appeared an electrical fault, possibly in an electric blanket, may have started the fire.

The fire started in the bedroom. It was very intense, enough to melt the lid of the washing machine, he said.

The whole of the three-bedroom house was smoke damaged.

- NZPA