Two children home alone in smoke-filled Christchurch house: Witness describes the scene

Firefighters were called after a smoke alarm sounded at an Aranui property in Christchurch.

A neighbour of the young children found alone in a smoke-filled house says it’s “just awful” they’d been left there.

Emergency services were called to a smoke alarm sounding at a Eureka St property in Aranui, Christchurch about 10pm on Tuesday.

Canterbury Area Commander Superintendent Lane Todd said two young children were found inside.

“Fortunately, they were rescued from the address before a fire started,” Todd said.

One neighbour, who wished not to be named, said she heard the fire alarms and panicked.

“Myself and another neighbour went over to check what was going on,” she said.

“We tried to get into the house but all the curtains were shut and doors closed, we had no idea if the kids were in there.

“I called Fire and Emergency because no one else seemed to react.”

The woman said the alarm kept going off and she became concerned.

“It’s just awful, those kids are just babies, you don’t leave your kids alone at home, you just don’t do it,” she said.

Fire and Emergency communications shift manager Blair Walklin said crews noticed “a smell of burnt cooking on arrival”.

“We found unattended cooking inside the house.”

Police thanked neighbours of the property who called for help and prevented a tragic outcome.

A 35-year-old woman was taken into custody on Wednesday morning.

She’s facing charges for ill-treatment of a child, resisting police, and possession of a cannabis plant.

She is due to appear in Christchurch District Court on July 31.