Thirst saves five from fire

A man's thirst in the middle of the night may have saved five lives near Rotorua yesterday.

Firefighters were called to a fire at a farmhand's house at Mamaku, 20km northwest of Rotorua, about 2.30am, to find the house well alight and five people, in their early 20s, already outside.

A couple of people were treated for smoke inhalation but everyone was otherwise fine, said Mamaku Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Neil Hamon.

"One got up to have a drink of water and realised the house was on fire. The fire didn't wake him up."