A man using a wheelchair has been badly burned after he set light to his Auckland home by smoking in bed.
Fire and emergency received multiple calls about the fire on East Tāmaki Road in Ōtara. Photo: RNZ / Gill Bonnett
Fire and Emergency said it received multiple calls about the fire on East Tāmaki Road in Ōtara about 6.15am.
The man with one leg has been taken to Middlemore Hospital with burns to 45 percent of his body.
Neighbour Bruce Spencer said he and another neighbour, plus a passer-by, helped the man to safety from his wheelchair ramp.
Mr Spencer said the man had only been living in the Housing New Zealand unit for a couple of months.
Smoke from the house fire in Ōtara could be seen billowing high into the air over the Auckland suburb early this morning.
No neighbouring buildings were damaged in the fire.
Senior Papatoetoe station officer Terry Jenner said fire partitions between units in the Housing New Zealand block stopped it from spreading.
The fire service is still on the scene, dampening it down.
The fire will be investigated.
