Family helps extinguish burning woman

A Christchurch family, alerted by screams, rushed outside to find a burning woman in their driveway yesterday.

A 26-year-old woman was in a serious condition in Christchurch Hospital last night with burns to about 70 per cent of her body.

After hearing a commotion in his Addington yard about 11am, Patrick Gordon, 13, raced outside to see the woman engulfed in flames around her shoulders and head.

The flames had already burned the lower half of her body.

Patrick yelled to his father, who was in their Willard Place home.

He said the flames about the woman's head were "quite high", while the rest of her body was severely burned.

She had pushed the Gordons' gate over in her panic.

Patrick's father, Alan Gordon, said they used a blanket and water to extinguish the flames.

Patrick said the woman appeared to have come from behind an uninhabited house across the street.

When he went to investigate the site, he found a small fire and a petrol container.

The Fire Service extinguished the fire and helped administer first aid to the woman.

Addington acting station officer Paul Habgood said a special blanket for burns victims was placed on the woman.

He said the woman was burned from head to toe.

A police press release said the woman was in a serious condition last night.

Gordon said the woman would have died if she had not received help.

"I wouldn't wish that on anyone. She was lucky to be alive."

Gordon said neither he nor Patrick had ever seen the woman before.

She appeared to be alone, and there was no-one behind the vacant house.

Police said they were investigating the incident.

No-one else was being sought.