Heroes haul child from blaze

A terrified 4-year-old girl with spina bifida cheated death by moments yesterday after rescuers braved a burning Carterton home to find and save her.
One of the rescuers, Jason, who declined to be fully named, said he was working across from the Belvedere Rd property with his workmate and fellow rescuer, Ian, when they saw smoke billowing from the house shortly after 10am.
The house belongs to Carterton couple Isiah Wereta and Hoana Hadfield, who have a family of six children aged under 10 including daughter Tanya, who has spina bifida and is in a full hip cast after breaking her leg in a fall a month ago.
When the fire broke out, Mr Wereta was at home with his nephew Malakai, 4, and the three youngest in the family _ Tanya, Georgia-Breeze, 3, and Aiesha-Jay, who turned 2 yesterday and lost all her birthday presents in the blaze.
All escaped unhurt from the fire.
Rescuer Jason said he and his workmate knew there were several children in the house when the blaze erupted and ''we just had to help get everyone out''.
''As we were going in, a guy was coming out the door with an armful of kids. I don't think he knew there was still someone in there. ''I called out once I got inside and came across the girl in the first bedroom I looked in.
''She was in her wheelchair, so we took an end each and started carrying her out. ''Ian told me to watch out as we left.
''There were windows breaking from the heat right behind me and the girl,'' he said.
''The girl was screaming and crying. There was a lot of noise _ the flames, I think. It was intense.''
Carterton Fire Chief Wayne Robinson said it appeared the fire could have started in a couch on the verandah of the home and had spread quickly to the house.
Flames were erupting from the doors and windows when the first of several fire engines arrived from Carterton, Masterton, Greytown and Featherston.
Firefighters used breathing apparatus and doused the blaze in about 10 minutes, but the house was gutted, he said.
Mr Robinson said the bedroom where the wheelchair-bound girl was found was near the seat of the fire and had been destroyed.
Yesterday morning the girl's mother, Hoana Hadfield, who is five months pregnant, was at her mother's home across the street consoling her partner and their children.
She said her partner had fled their three-bedroom home with their two youngest daughters and his nephew in his arms, and had not realised until reaching safety that Tanya was still inside the burning house.
''We all went running over to get her and saw the two men coming out with Tanya in her wheelchair.
''I was just so relieved. They're beautiful guys for doing that, and we don't even know them.''
Ms Hadfield's mother, Lucy Hadfield, says she feels ''blessed'' her grandchildren escaped unharmed from the fire and that the two rescuers recovered Tanya so quickly from the burning house.
''We were blessed someone realised she was missing. They saved her life and I'm very grateful to both of them, very grateful.''
The fire had destroyed a $10,000 hospital bed adapted for Tanya that the Wairarapa District Health Board had donated to the family late last year.
Tanya's mother said: ''The bed is gone and the presents are gone too.
''But we'll pull something together for a birthday celebration and I still have all my children _ that's what really matters.''
Carterton police officer Constable Mia Wilton said one of the children had first alerted Mr Wereta to the fire and she described the rescue of Tanya as ''a great example of community working together''.
''I'm just glad it was a good outcome and the family are all safe.''
A fire investigator is yet to examine the scene, she said.