Man died after clothes caught fire

An elderly man died after his clothes caught fire in a Napier blaze on Monday night, the Fire Service says.

Arthur McLaren, a retired carpenter in his 80s, was rescued from his Taradale home but died from his injuries in hospital yesterday morning.

Firefighters dragged him to safety after he was found unconscious in the hallway of his King St home about 11.30pm.

His wife Marjorie was found outside the home, having managed to escape the blaze.

Fire risk management officer Mike Finucane said the man's clothing or pyjamas had caught fire.

"We're still in the process of establishing exactly what made that occur," he said.

St John Ambulance district operations manager Stephen Smith said Mr McLaren suffered severe burns to his head, chest and leg, and his wife suffered smoke inhalation.

The couple was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital, where Mr McLaren was admitted in a critical condition. Two neighbours were also taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

Neighbour Paul Donovan said he broke down a door to help Mrs McLaren out of the house before attempting to rescue her husband.

"I went in but I only got four or five feet and the smoke was horrendous," he told The Dominion Post.

"You just couldn't see anything."

Mrs McLaren was discharged from hospital yesterday.

- NZPA