Fire crews on a two story house fire in Parklands, Christchurch

An elderly man has been rescued by a neighbor from his burning two-story home in Parklands.

Emergency services were called to the fire in Curzon Place, Parklands around 6:10 a.m. Monday.

Caity Leah lives across the street from the house and told Chris Lynch of Newstalk ZB that she woke up to a fire alarm and noises of pounding and pounding.

She said another neighbor pulled the old man out of the burning house and onto the street.

“It was extremely intense awakening and I am sorry for everyone involved.”

Leah said that the older person was very upset.

A spokesman for St John said the man was taken by ambulance to Christchurch Hospital with serious injuries.

The two-story flat was severely damaged on the lower level and is now extinct.

“The building was well involved upon arrival,” the FENZ spokesman said.

At approximately 6.30 a.m., firefighters were still working to put out the fire.

Officers were putting out the fire around 7:30 a.m.

Yesterday, firefighters battled a large house fire in Pōkeno, Waikato.

Emergency services rushed to the scene after multiple reports of a fire that could be seen from State Highway 1, south of Auckland.

A huge plume of black smoke could be seen rising from the fire, which was first reported around 2.46 pm There were no reports of injuries.