Man rescues neighbour from fire

File photo / Bay of Plenty Times

An Upper Hutt man is being hailed a hero after entering a burning house and saving his neighbour before collapsing from smoke inhalation.

Kima Sampson, 44, of Trentham, Upper Hutt, was awakened by calls for help before dawn on Sunday, and saw smoke pouring from the next door property.

The Dominion Post said Mr Sampson jumped the fence between their properties and kicked the back door down.

He stumbled across the 29-year-old neighbour's legs and dragged him outside, before fainting but quickly recovered.

The neighbour suffered smoke inhalation and was in a satisfactory condition last night in Hutt Hospital's intensive care unit.

Trentham fire station's senior station officer Matthew Abel said Mr Sampson had saved the man's life. "What he did went above and beyond, not that we encourage people to run back into burning buildings."

- NZPA