A family fled their burning Hastings home tonight as a fire ripped through their laundry and kitchen.
Carlos Houia, who was in the house across the road on Cambridge St, came out of the shower and heard some sort of yelling so ran to the window.
"I saw small flames in the kitchen across the road and then watched it get higher and higher before it suddenly blew up and smashed the front windows."
He said he could hear the bits and pieces flying around and "blowing up".
Mr Houia alerted the household and watched the couple across the road grab their two toddlers and run out of the burning house.