Oil on stove ignites house

A firefighter checks the house for hot spots. Picture / Dean Purcell

A woman was taken to hospital with superficial burns after a pot of oil burst into flames in Onehunga last night. The fire engulfed the Garside Place home about 5.40pm and smoke could be seen from the ferry to Waiheke.

One other woman escaped unscathed from the house, which was badly damaged.

"It looks like it was caused by a pot of oil on the stove," said Onehunga Station Officer Bruce Clarkson, "which is one of the things we have really been pushing as a safety concern."