Pet dog died in vain bid to save owner from blaze

Smoke alarms in a house where a woman and her pet dog died this morning had been disabled. File photo / NZ Herald

An elderly woman's pet dog is believed to have died in a vain attempt to save the woman when fire swept through a Whangarei house early today.

Firefighters found the 79-year-old woman and the dog dead inside the Millington Road house shortly after 7am.

Fire safety officer Craig Bain said the woman probably was awakened by the dog's barking, but when she got out of bed she succumbed to the smoke and collapsed and died on the bedroom floor.

In another tragic twist, fire safety officers found the smoke alarms in the house had been disabled.

It was thought the woman was a heavy smoker and had disabled the smoke alarms because her smoking frequently set them off.

Mr Bain said a cigarette may have been accidentally dropped on a chair and smouldered for several hours before bursting into flames.

It was a tragedy that the smoke alarms had been disabled.

"A smoke alarm without a battery is like a fish on a bike -- useless," he said.

"The reality is make sure the smoke alarms work. If you are smoking, smoke outside."

He also said smokers needed to make sure cigarette butts were out or put in a safe ash tray.

Police said that the victim's name would not be released until after all next-of-kin had be informed.

- NZPA