Man leaps from workshop mezzanine after fire burns through stairs

Fire rages inside a workshop on Koromiko St, Tauranga, in the early hours of Tuesday. Photo/Kirsty McKenzie

A man who awoke to find flames raging through his building had to leap from a mezzanine floor to escape the blaze.

The man was sleeping above an automotive electronic workshop in Judea when the fire broke out about 4am.

Bay of Plenty Coast fire inspector Jon Rewi said the man was "super lucky," to escape the flames.

Fire tore through All About Auto Electrics in Koromiko St, burning through the stairs leading to the room the man had been sleeping in.

The man woke up in just before the smoke knocked him unconscious, Mr Rewi said

"He woke up himself. He doesn't know why he woke up but he couldn't go down the stairs because of the fire. He was basically trapped," Mr Rewi said.

"He jumped from the mezzanine floor down into the workshop and made his escape.

"That's why he's super lucky. He should have been still in the building. Smoke makes you sleep even more."

The man was treated by ambulance staff.

It was just 'get out, get out'. I think they said 'fire'. I did smell some smoke that's when I thought 's**t'.

Kirsty McKenzie

As the fire raged men kicked down the door to a neighbouring property and got the people sleeping inside out. A fire wall prevented the worst of the fire from spreading but Kirsty McKenzie who was sleeping next door.

"It was just 'get out, get out'. I think they said 'fire'. I did smell some smoke that's when I thought 's**t'.

"I came out here and saw flames coming out of the roof."

Firefighters at a business which has been destroyed by fire in Judea, Tauranga. Photo/John Borren

Ms McKenzie said a couple of men using local hoses tried to help put out the fire until the fire service arrived.

Senior station officer Peter Rhinehard said when firefighters arrived there were already flames up to a couple of metres long licking out of the roof.

"The boys did a bloody good job actually."

Firefighters managed to get control of the blaze within about 30 minutes but did not leave the area until about 7.30am.

Mr Rewi said the cause of the fire was unknown. He was sifting through the charred remains yesterday.The building did not appear to have smoke alarms or a sprinkler system, he said.