“It was almost ready to catch alight I would say and we caught it in time. The side of the house is very badly blistered.”
He said the house in which the fire started was severely damaged, while a shed in the backyard and two cars in the driveway were also badly burnt.
“The roof caved in, it is still standing, but it is absolutely gutted,” he said.
“It was pretty hot and pretty fierce.”
He said the fire was still being investigated, but he believes it could have started in the kitchen area.
A police spokesman said the fire did not appear to be suspicious.
Jane said some people in the house needed to be treated for smoke inhalation, while one firefighter was checked for exhaustion.
“He didn’t get transported, he was absolutely fine, he just needed to get his breath back really. He wasn’t affected by the fire as such, just running hoses.”
A St John spokesman said four people were transported to Wairoa Hospital, two in a minor condition and two in a moderate condition.
A Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand, Hawke’s Bay spokeswoman said one woman in her early 50s and three men, one in his late 40s and two in their early 20s, were brought to Wairoa Hospital Emergency Department about 1.30am and are being discharged.
Central fire communications shift manager, Murray Dunbar, said three fire trucks and 12 firefighters responded to the blaze.
The blaze was brought under control in about 45 minutes and crews left the scene shortly after 4am.
