Quick thinking Maungatūroto homeowner stops fire in extractor fan spreading

A fire in an excavator fan sparked an emergency callout for the Maungatūroto Volunteer Fire Brigade. Photo / Bevan Conley.

A quick-thinking Maungatūroto homeowner stopped a fire in an extractor fan from spreading further than the kitchen.

The man was at home when the fire broke out around 5.30pm on Wednesday.

He quickly ripped the fan out of the ceiling and used a garden hose with a sprinkler to douse the burning gap in the roof.

He also phoned 111 which sparked a response from the Maungatūroto Volunteer Fire Brigade, who dispatched two trucks crewed by nine firefighters.

Fire chief Paddy Thornton said fortunately the house was around 1km from the fire station so it was a quick trip for the brigade.

Thornton said the fire had been extinguished by the time they arrived.

"It was lucky someone was home. It could've been a major," he said. "He did an amazing job really."

Thornton said there was minor damage with the ceiling cavity blackened, obvious on the outside of the house.

He said that showed how hot the fire had burned.

The brigade used a thermal imaging camera to make sure there were no further hotspots and to check the main one had cooled before they left the scene.

"We do it so they know they're safe and they're happy. It helps them feel comfortable when they go to bed that night after what happened."

Thornton was unsure whether an electrical fault or another malfunction had caused the fire to start.

He urged people to make sure everything in their home was in working order just to be extra safe.