A disabled man has died in a house fire south of Napier.
The fire service was called to the Riverbend Road house just after 5am on Wednesday.
Napier assistant area manager Nigel Hall says flames were coming out of every window of the house when fire crews arrived.
He says three crews and a water pump were able to put out the fire quickly but were not able to save sole occupier - a man thought to be unable to get out of the house because of his disability.
Mr Hall says he has heard that neighbours tried to rescue the man but could not get into the house due to the severity of the fire.
The house was equipped with fire alarms and the fire is not thought to be suspicious.
