Toddler burned when candle sets bed alight

A Christchurch toddler suffered severe burns after an unattended candle set her bed on fire early today.

Firefighters found a single storey flat in Riccarton well alight just before 1am.

Neighbours had already rushed the 22-month-old girl and her mother to hospital.

Two other adults in the flat escaped without injury.

Fire safety officer Ian Fleming said the toddler's mother had left a candle burning in her daughter's room while she took a bath.

It took less than 15 minutes for the candle to burn down, fall through the holder and ignite the child's bed.

"Using an unsuitable holder clearly contributed to the fire starting," Mr Fleming said in a statement.

A smoke alarm in the lounge had no battery.

- NZPA