Woman burned after cigarette starts bedroom fire

A 40-year-old woman is in hospital with burns to nearly all her body after a house fire in the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa early today.

The woman was taken to Auckland's Middlemore Hospital with burns to 85 per cent of her body after she was thought to have fallen asleep while she was smoking in bed soon after 3am.

Police said she was looking after six children in her Manurewa house, including her own eight-month old baby and her five grandchildren.

The grandchildren were unhurt but the baby was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation. The baby was asleep in a different bedroom.

Police said the woman's cigarette ignited the bedding and the fire badly damaged the bedroom.

Inspector Darroch Todd said the woman had burns to 85 per cent of her body and was taken to hospital in a status 1 condition -- the most serious medical condition.

No other adults were in the house. The five grandchildren were returned to their homes.

"This tragic event highlights the extreme risk of smoking while in bed," Mr Todd said.

- NZPA