A man has been taken to hospital with serious burns after a fire in a west Auckland garage tonight.

Investigators probing a blaze that destroyed most of a historic Waikato winery will be back at first light to look into the cause.

Flames and smoke from the fiery blaze at a historic Waikato winery could be seen on the horizon from kilometres away.

Fire investigators are at a mechanical workshop in Christchurch after a blaze tore through the building early this morning.

No one was injured in a fire which destroyed a garage in Auckland overnight.

Two Kiwi sailors had just seconds to grab life jackets and abandon their burning yacht after being woken by their skipper at midnight.

An overnight scene guard has been stationed at a vacant house in Napier that went up in flames last night.

Fire crews are battling a fire at a vacant house in Napier tonight.

A resident has suffered serious smoke inhalation and minor burns after escaping from a fire that gutted their Christchurch home this morning.

A Palmerston North woman is reluctant to label herself a hero despite saving two young children from a burning car in a supermarket carpark.

A central Wellington building was evacuated this afternoon after a first floor kitchen caught fire.

An electrical fire at an Invercargill school is now under control after breaking out early this morning.

Firefighters are still battling a fierce blaze at a panelbeaters in Dunedin tonight, but have managed to bring the fire under control.

A fire which destroyed a suburban Auckland home early yesterday morning started in the family's laundry, where there were no smoke detectors.

Three people and a dog are believed to have escaped a fire that gutted a suburban Auckland house overnight.

The Fire Service wants new regulations on child-safe lighters to be fast-tracked by the Government after another house was badly damaged by a child playing with a lighter.

Neighbours are mourning the loss of a 'very good friend' who died in a blaze in Paeroa this morning.

The blaze that gutted two Queenstown homes was yet another caused by the poor disposal of hot ashes, a fire safety officer says.

Two people escaped a fierce fire which gutted two Queenstown houses yesterday.

Fire Service investigators have discovered what caused a blaze that severely damaged an Auckland doctor's clinic this morning.

Patients of an Auckland doctor’s surgery razed by fire this morning have been reassured their medical records are safe and there is alternative care for them.

A duck-shooting trip turned to tragedy yesterday after a group of mates were flung from their boat as it capsized on the Waikato River.