Ms Riley's ex-partner Brendan Griffiths happened to be visiting and ran inside to deal to the flames.
"I did the dumb thing by putting water in the pot," he said. Neighbour Mr Chris Johnson said he ran inside the house to check nobody was still inside.
"I saw a pot in flames and managed to take it outside and throw it on the lawn," he said.
Hastings Fire Senior Station Officer Kerry Harford said because Ms Riley had good fire precautions in place it ensured a "no-drama" call out.
"They had two properly-functioning smoke alarms - there was no damage to the house whatsoever from the fire on the stove and everyone got out safely."
He said burning fat "can be tough on the old lungs".
"As a precaution the neighbour was taken by ambulance to hospital because of smoke inhalation."
Mr Johnson was discharged from hospital later that evening.
