Fire crew douse an early morning fire in Eden Terrace, Auckland. Photo / Joanna Hunkin
Flames engulfed an Eden Terrace villa this morning forcing five flatmates to jump out of a bedroom window to save themselves.
Downstairs, in a separate unit, Bryan Wakefield and his partner Megan Milliner slept on, until firefighters broke down their door just minutes later.
"I woke up and
thought someone was trying to break in... It was the fireman bashing the door down," said Mr Wakefield.
Bright St residents awoke early this morning to the horrified cries of the flatmates, who looked on in shock as fire gutted their home.
"I heard screams and saw a girl run down the road. I thought she was being attacked until I saw the orange glow of the fire. The girl was completely hysterical. It was awful," said one neighbour, who did not wish to be named.
The fire is believed to have started on the front porch at approximately 5.15am this morning.
Firefighters arrived on the scene within minutes and quickly had the blaze under control.
The 1930s wooden villa, which contains two separate flats, was not fitted with smoke alarms.
One of the residents awoke when her new kittens became restless, alerting her to the fire.
Five fire trucks, two police cars and an ambulance attended the scene. There were no injuries and the fire is not believed to be suspicious.
A fireman told Mr Wakefield they suspected a cigarette caused the blaze, though they could not confirm that until a full investigation had taken place.
