Neighbour wakes Napier flat's occupants as barbecue reignites, starting large fire

A barbecue that reignited is believed to be the cause of a flat fire that sent the sound of "ripping tin" around a Napier street early on Friday morning.

Those inside the unit were awoken by a neighbour as the fire ripped through the Nash St property just before 2am and were out of the home by the time fire crews arrived.

Ross Augustine, a neighbour from around the corner of the two-unit flat on Nash St, said he was awoken to sounds "like someone ripping up tin" or someone crashing into a fence.

Firefighters managed to save one half of a duplex when called to a house fire in Marewa in the early hours of Friday morning. Photo / Paul Taylor

Augustine went out and saw firefighters putting out the large fire and told Hawke's Bay Today on Friday morning his clothes still smelled of the noxious smoke that filled the air.

Emergency services received multiple reports about the blaze about 1.45am.

Station officer Mike Manning said the two crews from Napier and one from Hastings did a good job to ensure the fire didn't spread to the connected flat, with the fire extinguished by about 2.15am.

The occupants of the unit were awoken by a neighbour and outside by the time firefighting crews arrived. Photo / Paul Taylor

The fire has been deemed accidental, Manning said.

Manning said when using a barbecue people should make sure it is extinguished well and hot coals are put into a large metal container not on wooden decks or anywhere else.

He said it appeared this was the cause of the fire.

Crews were dampening down the property in the early hours of the morning and left the scene about 9am after doing their last inspection.