Kererū flats fire: Neighbours save man from burning flat in Camberley, Hastings

Two Camberley men are being hailed for their bravery after leaping into their elderly neighbour’s council flat and dragging the man, who was seriously injured, from a blazing fire.

Firefighters were called to a roaring fire at the Kererū flats on Takapu Rd, Hastings about 4.15pm on Wednesday, which left two adjoined flats damaged and another flat affected.

Investigations are under way into the blaze, but firefighters said on Thursday the cause was likely unattended cooking.

Terika Kiri (left) and Nixon Byers, from Camberley, jumped a fence to rescue a resident from a burning property, saving the resident's life. Photo / Paul Taylor

Locals Nixon Byers and Terika Kiri were relaxing in their lounge when they smelled smoke, but they didn’t expect the council flats across the road to be burning at such a rapid rate.

“We thought it was coming from our house, not realising that our second-oldest daughter had spotted where the smoke was coming from,” Kiri said.

“She was the one that warned our whole household.”

He said he did what anyone else would’ve done. He grabbed his ‘brother’ Nixon nearby, and the two of them went to see if they needed to help.

“My first act was to jump over the fence and ‘round to his front door, where I saw him lying there on the floor unconscious with smoke all around,” Kiri said of his neighbour.

“Another local had smashed the window open and tried his hardest to get the man out. Me and my brother reached through the window, opened up the door and grabbed him out of the house.”

According to the pair, the man had a broken arm “from his elbow up”.

“My main concern was for him to be well; I’ll do it for any koro or any person anywhere,” Kiri said.

After getting him away from the house, the pair of them stayed with the man until emergency services arrived.

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said one person was found at the scene and transported to hospital in a serious condition.

Hastings District Council said council staff and other supporting teams went out to the site as soon as they were aware of the situation.

“Three flats are affected, the extent to which is still be investigated. Tenants of the two adjoining flats are being supported with accommodation and their other needs. One tenant remains in Hawke’s Bay Hospital,” a spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also said the council wanted to acknowledge the bravery of Kiri and Byers, who went into the flat where the fire started to rescue the tenant.

“It could have been a far worse outcome without their quick thinking.”

Hastings station officer Jason Broome said it looked like the cause of the fire was cooking that was left unattended, following preliminary investigations.

“The flat itself is totally gutted, and it has spread slightly into another flat,” he said.

“It has gone out the kitchen window and curled out around into the window on the neighbouring property.”

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of building fires in Hawke’s Bay.

Broome said the main message firefighters always reiterated after cooking fires was: ‘Keep looking when you are cooking, and don’t drink and fry.’

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community.