A Papamoa man who was caught in a massive chip-heater hot-water tank explosion has emerged from a coma and is "doing really well" says his wife.

A fire that seriously damaged a police car at a Hamilton Station overnight is being treated as suspicious.

A man is in hospital with serious injuries after a over-heated chip heater exploded and destroyed the kitchen of a family home in Papamoa last night.

The Wanaka farmer whose authorised burn-off sparked a massive fire which burned over 350ha says neighbouring property owners are "ecstatic" with the outcome.

About 40 firefighters have managed to contain a large bush fire beneath the summit of Roy's Peak, Wanaka.

A woman died and a man was injured when fire engulfed their East Coast home north of Ruatoria last night.

The father of Kiwi triplets killed in a Qatar mall fire says it is distressing to see stories circulating about the fire being an act of terrorism without any facts to back them up.

Journalists and academics have questioned a Saudi news agency that claims the Qatar mall fire that killed New Zealand triplets was an act of terrorism.

The young Martinborough girl who was severely burnt by a candle last month has taken a major step in her recovery.

Aleppo's ancient souk has fallen victim to the civil war. A fire sparked by battles between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's troops and rebel fighters tore through Aleppo's centuries-old covered market, burning wooden doors and scorching stone stalls and vaulted passageways.