Quick thinking neighbour saves man from fire

Having a working smoke alarm saved the man's life. Photo / iStock

A man is lucky to be alive thanks to his neighbour thumping on the door of his smoke-filled house after he fell asleep cooking.

Fire Service southern shift manager Rewi Grace said just before midnight the neighbour investigated a fire alarm coming from the house next door on Wilkin St, Temuka.

"He went outside, there was smoke coming out of the neighbour's property so he's banging on his door and rung us," said Mr Grace.

Just as the Temuka fire volunteers arrived a man stumbled out of the house suffering from smoke inhalation.

Mr Grace said the man had fallen asleep, leaving a pot on a hot stove, which caught alight.

He credited the prompt action of the neighbour and a working smoke alarm for saving the man's life.

"A pot on the stove left unattended, next minute the smoke came up, activated the smoke alarm and the neighbour heard it, so having a working smoke alarm actually saved this person's life," he said.

The man was taken to hospital for a check-up.