A man ran for safety as a spectacular fire engulfed a two-storey house in Blenheim last night.
The 23-year-old man, originally from Nelson, was taken to hospital with minor burn injuries and was treated and discharged.
A neighbour said the man rushed out of the Alabama Rd house just as neighbours and passersby arrived to help about 5.30pm.
The man was the only person in the house, among a group of homes on a rear section.
He rented if with his girlfriend, although they were due to move out today.
A neighbour said the man's sister had furniture and belongings in the house and was going to collect them when they moved out.
A neighbour said she heard the fire crackling as she watched television and called the Fire Service.
The woman was upset last night and said she was worried the fire might spread to her property.
"I would have been trapped in my section if the fire spread to my section. Someone would have had to help me over the fence."
Liz Hampton and Kayla Marsh said they saw a lot of smoke followed by high flames as they drove past the house after finishing work at the Unichem Pharmacy in Redwoodtown.
The Fire Service sent four volunteer crews from Blenheim and Renwick to tackle the blaze, and police set up traffic cordons between Scott St and Redwood St.
Blenheim chief fire officer Rob Dalton said the house was engulfed when firefighters arrived.
"All we could see was flames leaping out of the house. It was too dangerous for us to go in."
Firefighters worked in two crews on either side of the house to prevent the flames from spreading to neighbouring houses.
A Marlborough Lines worker cut power to the house as the fire was being put out.
The fire was under control by 6.30pm and firefighters continued working to dampen down hotspots.
St John Ambulance had to treat one fireman for minor cut wounds, which he received after tripping over in the driveway, Mr Dalton said.
Fire investigator Lewis Jones and Blenheim CIB were this morning due to start investigating. Mr Jones said there were no early indications of what may have caused the fire.
"We need to secure that roof which is hanging loosely and then we will start our investigation."
BLAZE FULL-ON IN MINUTES
Craig Forman joined the Rarangi Fire Brigade on Monday, but his fire safety instinct went into overdrive early last night.
The Blenheim company director was driving home after dropping off his son at football practice when he saw smoke billowing from a house on Alabama Rd, in Blenheim, about 5.30pm.
The sky was filled with dark smoke within minutes, Mr Forman said.
"We're talking three minutes maximum. One minute there was nothing, two minutes later she was all on.
"I saw flames leaping above the house and I knew it was a big deal, I had to help somehow."
Mr Forman grabbed a hose from a neighbouring property and started spraying the grass which was starting to catch alight.
"The heat was so intense, mate, I was standing a good 20 metres back and it felt like I was actually inside a log fire.
"It was bloody unreal, really."
He knew there was nothing he could do to save the house.
"It was beyond repair, there was definitely nothing anybody could do to save it, that's a fact.
"I'm just glad nobody was seriously hurt."
- The Marlborough Express
SIMON WONG
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