A merino singlet may have saved the life of a grandfather who suffered horrific burns when the car he was working on exploded.

A coroner's inquest today heard from a senior search and rescue expert who described the "chaos" at the disaster site when he arrived two hours after the building's collapse.

The inquest into the CTV deaths has heard of frustrations caused by delays and chaos in the hours after the catastrophe.

A huge ball of flame could be seen over a Carterton farm after a quad bike sparked a shed blaze on Tuesday night.

The police officer left in charge of the Christchurch earthquake's biggest disaster zone said he became "frustrated" at being ordered off the site as he tried to rescue survivors.

Police today admitted the February 22 earthquake disaster in Christchurch "overwhelmed" their communication system.

The parents of triplets who died in the Doha mall fire have made an emotional plea for justice after the trial over their deaths was delayed for a third time.

A scorned lover who set fire to her ex's flat has been jailed for three years in an emotional appearance at Tauranga District Court today.

The hearing into the fatal fire at Doha's Villaggio mall which killed 19 people including three Kiwi triplets has been postponed for a third time.

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.

Fire chiefs failed to cope with the February 22 earthquake response, according to a scathing report out today which criticised them for being disorganised.

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