Neighbours try to save matriarch

JANELLE KIRKLAND and MARK STORY
Neighbours who made a desperate attempt to save a well-known Haumoana matriarch from a house fire in Grange Rd early this morning touched her hand, but were forced back by thick smoke.
The dead woman was great-grandmother Gwendoline (Rona) Kupa, and this morning her family stood in shock outside the still-smouldering family home of 30 years.
Two fire appliances from Haumoana and two more from Hastings were called to the blaze at 2.45am.
The owners of the house, Mrs Kupa's daughter Rae Butler and husband Thomas, are in Hawke's Bay Hospital with serious burns but are in a stable condition.
Granddaughter Leslee Butler said neighbours, who had called emergency services, made a valiant effort to save her grandmother.
"I just want to give a real big thanks to our neighbours Josh Ryan, Tim Wells and another neighbour who helped us," she said.
"We had Josh on one side, he actually tried to get Nana out of the house but he couldn't, even though he had smashed the window."
Leslee's partner, Barry, said Mr Ryan had even touched Mrs Kupa's hand.
"The smoke was too thick. She was in bed and the smoke knocked her out," he said.
Leslee and her children had been asleep in a caravan about 20m from the house and were woken by the commotion.
"My dog was barking and I heard cracking and popping like glass smashing. I thought someone was breaking into the truck."
She immediately tried to ring 111 from the caravan, but the phone was not working as it was connected to the house line.
"I was looking at the flames licking up and I ended up in the yard like a banshee, yelling and swearing at the neighbours," she said.
Her daughter, Cortnee Butler, 11, said she got scared when she saw the fire.
"I just looked out and saw these orange flames rising up over Nana and Granddad's house."
Leslee evacuated Cortnee along with Robben, 5, and Kariss, 8 weeks.
Because of the intensity of the fire, the family could not get past the house, and instead climbed over a fence and into the neighbour's property.
Haumoana Volunteer Fire Brigade Senior Station Officer Bill Tims said the fire was "well involved" by the time they arrived and took an hour to control.
"The property is extensively damaged, with 90 per cent of the house gutted. The other potential danger with this fire was the carport, which bordered the neighbouring house.
"It was lined with perspex which ignites and burns very quickly. We had to be mindful that we weren't dealing with two house fires."
Investigators were looking into the cause.
A neighbour living opposite the property said scores of locals lined the street during the blaze.
"This family have been living on this street a very long time and are well known to the community."
Maree Mason, who works with Rae Butler at the Haumoana General Store, said the fire was a "shock" to the village.
"The phone has been going crazy with people offering their support for Rae and Tom. I had a phone call as far down south as Invercargill," she said.
"People are opening up their doors for accommodation and everyone is coming into the shop to offer help. We've already got a box of clothes for the baby.
"It is just amazing how everyone in the village has come together."