Man fighting Coutts fire dies

A man died last night trying to put out a blaze at a $4 million Central Otago home owned by America's Cup skipper Russell Coutts.

The Fire Service was called to the isolated property near Arrowtown, north of Queenstown, at 7.15pm.

Ambulance spokeswoman Jan Wills said a 48-year-old neighbour trying to extinguish the flames suffered a fatal heart attack.

The home was reportedly being renovated, and no one was living there.

A Coutts family friend told the Otago Daily Times the yachtsman is overseas.