Fourteen houses were evacuated due to a large fire which threatened to spread in Christchurch last night.
Firefighters were called to the fiercely burning house on Alexandra St in Richmond at 2.45am.
Police said embers from the fire flew onto surrounding houses in the densely-populated area causing fears of the fire spreading.
Fourteen houses were evacuated for about an hour while the blaze was brought under control.
A Fire Service spokesman said there was initially some panic as it was thought people may be inside the burning house.
However it was quickly established that they had managed to get out.
A firefighter suffered a minor injury, thought to be a cut, at the scene after the fire had been extinguished.
It was not known how this had occurred.
A fire safety officer and police were investigating how the blaze started.
