A seven year-old girl watching television while the rest of her family slept is today credited with saving all their lives when their converted rural shed caught fire last night.

'They are very, very lucky people to be alive,” says Omokoroa Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Ian Blunt today.


The fire started from a free standing fire place. Photo: supplied.

A family of seven, two adults and five children, were living in the converted farm shed heated by a free-standing fire place that Ian believes was illegally installed.

'I understand they were all in bed. One child was watching TV.”

The fire started from the fire place and caught in building paper around the flue. The fire brigade were called at 10.23pm.

The girl woke her parents and everybody got out, although the father suffered burns to a forearm.

There were smoke alarms in the dwelling, says Ian: 'In the cupboard, in their packets.”

Fire Safety officer John Rewi says they were lucky they didn't have fatalities.

The very quick turn out of the Omokoroa fire brigade resulted in the building being saved.

'It was very fortunate Omokoroa were right there,” says John. 'That should be stated too. Dedicated, those people.”

When asked if ten minutes was a quick turn out for the brigade to assemble and reach the Ross Road address, John says; 'Oh man, yes.

'They do know the road. And they have good trucks now, get them there nice and quickly and safely.”

He says the fire place caused the initial fire which spread to building paper and timbers around the flue, which had caught fire and was quite rapidly spreading across the roof.


The fire damage in the converted rural shed.

'The occupants were alerted to the fire by a seven year old girl who woke the father and probably saved all their lives,” says John. 'They were lucky, very lucky.”

Firefighters from Omokoroa and Greeton were at the scene for two and a half hours.

The converted farm shed is a rented property that comes under the new tenancy law which takes effect on July 1.

The law changes require all rental properties to meet new insulation standards and be fitted with smoke alarms.

'The fire service will be going back on Monday and installing some alarms – for the tenants,” says John.