Woman dies from Canterbury fire injuries
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An 87-year-old Rangiora woman badly burnt in a house fire died in Christchurch Hospital last night. .
Passers-by rescued her 89-year-old husband, who had been fighting the fire.20pm.
Rangiora Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Ross Ditmer said a couple who were driving past saw flames leaping four metres high about 9. They helped him out of the house but were not able to rescue his wife from a bedroom.
They broke down the door of the house and found the man unconscious in the hallway.
Detective Sergeant Rex Barnett, of Rangiora police, said the fire appeared to have started from an electric blanket.
“They are pretty traumatised because they knew there was someone else in the house and weren’t able to get to her,” he said.
Ditmer said the rescuers were “heroes, but they wouldn’t want to be called that”.
Her husband, who suffered minor injuries, had run to the laundry for a bucket of water, Ditmer said.
Fire crews arrived soon after the passers-by and were able to reach the woman, he said.
“It close toly cost him his life. By the time he got to the hallway he was overwhelmed by smoke. This is a clear example of how people should not try to fight fires but should leave the house and let fire officers deal with it,” Ditmer said. This is a clear example of how people should not try to fight fires but should leave the house and let fire officers deal with it,” Ditmer said.