Couple saved by neighbour

Nicky Grant surveys her fire-damaged home. Photos by Christine O'Connor/Rewa Pene.
Nicky Grant surveys her fire-damaged home. Photos by Christine O'Connor/Rewa Pene.
The damaged Coalstage Rd property yesterday.
The damaged Coalstage Rd property yesterday.
A helicopter dumps water  on the fire at the Grants' property on Wednesday.
A helicopter dumps water on the fire at the Grants' property on Wednesday.

Alister Wilden
Alister Wilden
A Saddle Hill couple are praising the quick actions of a neighbour who saved them from a ball of fire on Wednesday.

Nicky and Bill Grant said they were home on their 2ha lifestyle block in Coalstage Rd when they saw smoke ''billowing'' from the bottom of Saddle Hill.

''We were about to head out and Bill said to me, 'You'd better grab a few things in case there is a fire','' Mrs Grant said.

Just then, Dunedin City Council animal control officer Alister Wilden arrived in a van and walked behind the garage, which was attached to the house, to see if the smoke was getting heavier.

''Mr Wilden yelled, 'We need to leave now', and a flame ball came around the side of the garage,'' Mrs Grant said.

The couple attempted to leave in their 2013 Mazda CX-5, but it would not start.

So they fled with Mr Wilden in the ''dog pound van''.

Read more on the fires

As they were leaving, vegetation was burning down both sides of the driveway.

''I could feel the embers as we were getting in the van ... The fire was moving fast because it was so windy and hot.

''If he [Mr Wilden] hadn't been there, I don't think we would have made it. He was brilliant.''

The couple had not realised the impending danger and would have had no way to escape, after the fire erupted.

Their two cats were still missing. The couple were insured and all the damaged goods were replaceable, she said.

''We've been lucky.''

The firefighters did an ''excellent job'' keeping the flames away from most of the house.

The fire had destroyed the garage and its contents and significantly damaged the conservatory and deck on the other side of the house.

Another three sheds had also been destroyed.

The CX-5's rear and side plasticwork had melted.

Firefighters remained at the house overnight, battling the blaze and then dampening down hot spots.

Delta contractors were on the property yesterday to bring down damaged powerlines, as insurance assessors took photos of the destruction.

The destroyed property included a ride-on mower, an all-terrain vehicle, a sewing machine and a bike.

Large plastic water tanks on the property had melted.

The couple had lived on the property for 10 years and fire had threatened the house two years before they bought it, she said.

Mr Grant said he was standing in the driveway when Mr Wilden began yelling, ''Get out, get out''.

''I spun around and I could see flames, real long, hot, low flames - they were moving so fast.''

If Mr Wilden had not visited, it would have been a different story being told, he said.

''My wife and I wouldn't be here today.''

After escaping the fire, Mr Wilden drove the couple to a family member's home on the Taieri.

Mr and Mrs Grant were allowed to return home for 10 minutes late on Wednesday to get clothing, as firefighters continued to battle the flames on the property.

Mr Wilden said he owned a 4ha forestry block on 15ha of land in Saddle Hill Rd and was lunching on the land on Wednesday when he saw smoke billowing from the bottom of Saddle Hill.

He began warning residents in Coalstage Rd and went behind the Grants' garage to see the extent of the smoke.

''I hadn't seen any flame, but all of a sudden I just felt the heat and boom, trees went up, and fires had started on the driveway ... it was pretty full-on.''

The fire destroyed his forestry block but he was insured and philosophical.

''You can't replace trees that have been there 15 years but a tree's a tree.''

shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz

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