Clothes too near fire spark blaze

Rotorua residents are being reminded about the heater metre rule after a fire broke out in a Hannah's Bay home.

Rotorua Fire Brigade senior station officer Cameron McEwen said firefighters were called to a Willow Ave house about 10am.

He said a small fire was caused by having clothing too close to the fire. Mr McEwen said a man had just got home from working a night shift when the fire started.

He said there were two smoke alarms in the house but only one was working, which alerted the man to the fire.

Mr McEwen said the man was an asthmatic but was checked by St John paramedics at the scene. He did not need further treatment.

He said the fire didn't cause much damage to the house but said it was a good reminder to people to keep anything flammable at least a metre away from fires or heaters.

"People need to keep things at least a metre away, that includes clothes, boxes of firewood and chairs," he said.

"Also people should look at getting fire guards which help to keep children away from fires and prevents them from getting burns."