The City Rise resident fell in his kitchen while cooking breakfast.
Lookout Point Fire and Emergency station officer Martin Jansen said it appeared the man broke his hip, and when the porridge started to burn, he was unable to turn the element off.
Fortunately, his smoke alarm went off, alerting his neighbours and some nearby rubbish collectors to his plight.
They called emergency services after looking inside the man's house and seeing him on the floor.
The man was taken to Dunedin Hospital by ambulance.
''He was distressed and in a lot of pain,'' Mr Jansen said.
''The smoke alarm was screaming because his porridge was burning on the stove and he couldn't get up.''
The fire alarm got their attention, he said.
''It highlights that smoke alarms are beneficial in homes,'' and it was timely to check alarm batteries, he said.
