'Horrific' Port Chalmers fire leaves elderly man in intensive care

Fire investigator Mark Bredenbeck sorts through the remains of Thursday night's fire at the Currie Court flats in Port Chalmers. Photo / ODT

When firefighters dragged an 84-year-old man out of his burning Port Chalmers flat and laid him down on the front lawn, his neighbours were sure he was dead.

The Currie Court residents said they heard a loud bang before going outside to find their elderly neighbour's house "totally engulfed" in a fire.

Gordon Ross said he could see flames spewing out one of the front windows, and rising high into the air.

"I ran down to see if I could get him out, but when I got to the door, the bedroom window blew out - boom.

Neighbour Danny Brown. Photo / ODT

"So I couldn't get near the place. It was totally engulfed. We didn't even know if he was inside.

"I was screaming out to him to see if I could get a response, but there was just nothing.

"We felt quite helpless. We thought if he's in there, he's gone. It was pretty horrific."

Another neighbour, Danny Brown, said firefighters arrived and started extinguishing the flames before a team was sent inside to see if anyone was there.

Moments later, three firefighters walked out of the burning building carrying the elderly man.

The aftermath of the fire. Photo / ODT

"They dragged him out and put him on the lawn. I thought he was dead."

Mr Ross said he and other neighbours were surprised when emergency services workers said he was still alive.

"How he survived, I have no idea."

He said an ambulance crew asked if they could use his shower to cool the man down.

Then they "Glad-wrapped" him and took him to Dunedin Hospital in a critical condition with severe burns.

Neighbour Gordon Ross. Photo / ODT

A Dunedin Hospital spokeswoman said the man remained in intensive care in a serious condition yesterday.

Mr Ross described him as a former seaman and a "hell of a nice guy" who was full of life.

"We hope he's going to be OK."

Fire and Emergency New Zealand fire investigators were at the property yesterday searching for a cause of the blaze.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz