Man in Middlemore Hospital burns unit after being pushed into open fire at Kennedy Bay, Coromandel

The Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter flew a man with serious burns to Middlemore Hospital on New Year's Day. He was pushed into an open fire. Photograph supplied

A man suffered serious and extensive burns after he was pushed into an open fire in the early hours of New Year's Day at a small Coromandel settlement.

Emergency services were called to Kennedy Bay, 14km northeast of Coromandel township, at 4.30am on January 1 after the man was injured.

Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter intensive care paramedic Russell Clark said the man was in an ambulance being cooled down with saline when his crew arrived.

DO YOU KNOW MORE? EMAIL US

"As far as we know he was pushed backwards into an open fire on a beach area," he said.

"He managed to get himself into a creek and emergency services were called.

"He had quite extensive partial thickness burns predominantly to his buttocks region and some to his lower legs and one of his hands.

"It was quite serious, and quite extensive as well."

Clark said it appeared the group the man was with had been drinking before the incident.

The helicopter crew transported the man, in his 20s, to Middlemore Hospital which houses the National Burn Service.

Clark said while getting in the creek was a good idea to cool down the burns, they were effectively open wounds and the risk of infection was extremely high if the area was exposed to bacteria.

It is understood the man was pushed by someone that he knew.

Police confirmed they were called to the incident.

"A man sustained serious, but non-life threatening injuries and was airlifted to hospital and has since been discharged," said a spokeswoman.

"Police are investigating the circumstances around what happened and are making enquiries.

"No charges are being considered at this stage."