Alarms alert 7 to fire

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

SMOKE alarms sounded an early warning early this morning when a fire started by unattended cooking drove seven people in a flat in Awapuni Road out of their beds and outside to safety.

Fire and Emergency NZ sent appliances to Housing New Zealand flats across the road from Awapuni School at 1.15am.

“Food on the stove in the flat had overheated and a fire started,” said Senior Station Officer Jason Higgins.

“The flames from the stove top got up into the extractor fan, which spread the fire into the ceiling void.”

The fire crews were able to get there in time to contain the fire to the ceiling space.

“The seven people living in the flat were roused by the smoke alarms, and they all got out of the flat safely. It again illustrates the value of having good working smoke alarms in the home.

As well, “people have just got to keep looking” when they are cooking, he said.