Six-year-old raises fire alarm

A six-year-old boy who raised the alarm over a fire at his neighbour's house in Timaru last night is being credited with probably saving the man's life.

Calleal Coffey-Gibson saw flames shooting out of the window of his neighbour's Church Street house and quickly told his parents.

They in turn called the fire department who pulled the occupant, who had almost lost consciousness, from his smoke-filled room.

Calleal told the Timaru Herald he wasn't scared when he saw the fire but he knew he had to get inside and tell his mum.

Senior Station officer Martyn Bennett said the house was fully ablaze by the time the fire service arrived about 8.15pm.

The fire appeared to have started in the lounge, which was opposite the man's room, Mr Bennett said.

The cause of the blaze was still to be determined, but it was not thought to be suspicious.

Mr Bennett said the man's neighbours had done the right thing in not entering the house, and his advise was that if anyone saw a fire to call 111 and wait for emergency services.

"Some people re-enter burning homes and that is when they can be overcome with smoke," he said.

The fire officer's who pulled the man out of the house deserved to be acknowledged, Mr Bennett said.

"If there is a lesson to be learned from this fire it is that people should have working smoke alarms in their house."

The man was still in the intensive care unit at hospital, and was likely to be there for a few more days, Mr Bennett said.

- NZPA