Firefighters have brought a blaze at an apartment block in central Auckland this afternoon under control.

An apprentice mechanic whose dream car was torched in Masterton on Saturday has been swamped with offers of parts from all around the country.

A honeymooning pair claim to have run into not one, but six natural disasters as they followed their itinerary around the globe.

Howls from a child trapped in a burning house compelled an 18-year-old neighbour to dash inside. "That was a cry that you would never hear in your life," said Wiremu Ropata, who was watching television at home and getting ready to go to bed

Police and fire safety officers are investigating a third suspicious fire in the Manawatu town of Feilding this year after a blaze at a hair salon overnight.

A woman who died in a Rotorua house fire early today would probably have been saved had the house been fitted with smoke alarms, firefighters say. Six occupants were taken to Rotorua Hospital for minor smoke inhalation. Two ambulances

A specialist fire investigator is being sent in, to find the cause of a house fire in Invercargill.

Witnesses have described desperate attempts to save the motorists involved in a fiery crash in Napier yesterday morning.

A car has burst into flames after crashing in Napier, leaving one person fighting for their life.