Smoke alarms vital: fire victim

Queenstown fire victims (from left) Mia and Pam Hill with Cameron, Ryoko and Kai Mewburn. PHOTO:...
Queenstown fire victims (from left) Mia and Pam Hill with Cameron, Ryoko and Kai Mewburn. PHOTO: BLAIR PATTINSON
A mum who escaped a Queenstown house fire with her young daughter is urging people to use smoke alarms.

Pam Hill (46) was in one of two houses destroyed by a blaze in Aspen Grove on Sunday afternoon.

She fled the wooden rental accommodation with Mia (5) before the flames spread from the neighbouring property.

''I stuck my head out the back door and got the fright of my life,'' Miss Hill said.

''Flames were licking up the side of the front property - I could tell by the way it was moving the house wasn't going to survive. It was so quick and the smoke with it.

''I shouted out to my daughter `fire, fire' and basically panicked.''

Neighbours from across the street came to the door and shouted for them to get out.

Within 10 minutes the fire had a solid grip on both houses.

''What keeps going through my mind is, thank God it didn't happen when we were asleep. We didn't have working smoke alarms so could potentially have lost our lives, especially with the smoke, which was unbelievably pungent and thick.''

Twenty-four firefighters tackled the blaze but were unable to save the houses.

Cameron Mewburn (55), a tenant in the first house, arrived home with son Kai (4) as the volunteer brigade fought the fire.

''They're heroes and we want to thank them and everyone who's supported us since - it's been truly overwhelming,'' he said.

Both families have been taken in by neighbours they had never met before. They have also been offered free accommodation and various organisations and individuals are fundraising for them.

Central North Otago fire risk management officer Stuart Ide says the fire took hold after hot ashes in an unsealed metal bucket on a deck were whipped up by the wind - the third such accident in Central Otago in a fortnight. Insurance assessors agree.

Mr Mewburn says that is ''possibly'' down to him. He is not too sure.

''But I'd urge anyone disposing of ashes to make sure it's a sealed container or use water to make sure.''

Miss Hill agrees and says: ''Everyone also needs to make sure right now they have a working smoke alarm. Don't leave it until it's too late.''

The Mewburns lost practically everything and have only ''very basic'' contents insurance. Miss Hill, who managed to salvage some clothes the next day, has no insurance. - Mountain Scene

by Paul Taylor 

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