A gas heater explosion has left an elderly man with superficial burns to his hands and face after it blew up.
Tauranga Fire Service senior station office Phil Price said two fire crews including the Greerton Fire Service attended the incident about 8.30am this morning at the Greerton property.
Mr Price said the man was down the back end of his house when he heard a "bang" and came down the hallway.
A smoke alarm alerted him to the fire which was in the lounge.
"He saw the gas heater was on fire and he then exited the house through the front door.
In the process he suffered some some superficial burns and singeing of his hair," Mr Price said.
The house was extensively smoke damaged but structurally sound "and not damaged by fire but by smoke".
A small fire was found around the heater and the lounge was badly scorched. They opened all the windows to ventilate the property.
The man was treated at the scene with oxygen and taken by St John ambulance to Tauranga Hospital.
UPDATED 8.51am: An elderly man has been hurt after a gas cylinder exploded inside his Tauranga home this morning.
The man, in his 80s, is currently being treated on the front lawn of the Greerton Rd property by emergency services which were called to the address about 8.30am.
A reporter at the scene said firefighters have now entered the house and appear to be opening windows to vent the building.
An ambulance has just arrived, the reporter said.
Earlier: A gas bottle has caught fire in a Greerton home.
A fire northern communications spokesman said the fire service were en route to the scene and there was no further information at this time.
More to come.