Passing hero saves family from fire

Her house burned, her smoke alarms did not go off, she is the suspected target of an arsonist and has lost almost everything she owns. Yet Alyce Burr still feels a higher power is looking out for her.

Ms Burr, 21, of Whanganui, said yesterday that she, 15-month-old son Seth and six-year-old cousin India Pakai would not be alive were it not for the anonymous man who woke them when their house caught fire, just after 2am.

"If he hadn't been there at that exact moment in time, we wouldn't be here right now – it's as simple as that," Ms Burr said.

She knew little about the man who was returning home from work when he noticed smoke pouring from the house on Somme Pde, near the intersection with Victory Place, in the suburb of Aramoho.

The man's wife visited her yesterday morning and said her husband came home "shaken", Ms Burr said.

She was lucky he was in the area at all, having finished his late shift about an hour later than normal.

"Someone must be looking out for me. I cannot thank him enough, whoever he is. He saved us. He is a really amazing person."

A fire, which began in her laundry room, quickly claimed one corner of the house and part of the roof. But the thickness of the laundry door prevented enough smoke getting through to trigger the smoke alarms, she said.

"I woke up and heard someone banging on the windows and yelling. I could not see or smell anything, so my first thought was that someone was angry with me."

When she finally realised the man was telling her to get out, she grabbed the children and her phone and ran out the back door.

Her rescuer charged into the house to check if anyone was left inside, and was kind enough to bring her 32-inch television out with him, she said.

Firefighter Knud Bukholt said the blaze was intense enough to smash windows on the other side of the house and strip paint off the neighbouring property.

"A couple more minutes and they would have been in real trouble."

In addition to thanking her rescuer, Ms Burr also heaped praise on neighbours who came across the street to support her and give her blankets.

"It really amazed me, the kindness and support of complete strangers."

She was told by police that the fire appeared to have been started 30 centimetres above the ground in a corner of her laundry room.

The thought that someone deliberately lit the fire was "terrifying" as she had no idea who might have done it, she said.

"It's basically attempted murder. I hope someone comes forward with information because I don't want to live in fear of this thing happening again.

"I only moved in a few months ago, through Women's Refuge, and had to start from scratch. Now I have to start all over again and have no idea how."

She lost everything she owned to smoke damage, except for her kitchen table and Seth's cot.

"It's surreal to think we have nothing left ... but I'd prefer to start from scratch 50 million times over if I means my son is still here walking and talking."

- © Fairfax NZ News