Fire victim lived alone

Firefighters were quickly on the scene at a Gisborne fire and put out the blaze, but an elderly man was killed in the fire. File photo / NZ Herald

A 67-year-old man who died in a fire in Gisborne last night lived alone and had been ill for the past year, a neighbour says.

Firefighters said they were quickly on the scene and put out the blaze.

A neighbour who discovered the fire said she heard a bang at about 10.30pm and thought it was a car crash.

When she went to investigate she heard a smoke alarm and saw flames.

"The sound I thought was cars crashing must have been the lounge window exploding," she said.

She knocked on the door but found it hot to touch so ran home and called the Fire Service.

Another neighbour said the man, who lived alone, had been ill for the past year.

"He kept himself to himself," the neighbour said.

Senior Sergeant Lincoln Sycamore says fire investigators would be at the scene today.

Mr Karaitiana said Housing New Zealand did a fantastic job maintaining smoke alarms in their properties.

The man's flat was one of several in a block and adjoining flats were not damaged.

- NZPA