A Rotorua fashion designer has helped an elderly woman escape a house fire that left one other in hospital in a serious condition.
Kharl-William Wirepa had only returned from showcasing his work at New Zealand Fashion Week hours before finding his neighbours' two-unit flat on fire.
The fire broke out in the kitchen of one of the units on Kotare St in Glenholme shortly after 6am yesterday, and left an occupant, a man in his 20s, in Rotorua Hospital in a serious condition suffering from smoke inhalation and a cut to his arm.
The other occupants of the unit where the fire broke out were able to escape unharmed, but the elderly couple living in the adjoining unit, Mike and Heather Lydon, didn't know what was happening.
Mr Wirepa ran to see if they were okay, while his family called the fire brigade.