A Dunedin student injured when he jumped from a second-storey window to escape a fire has been released from hospital but faces a long rehabilitation.
Robby McPhail (19) broke his ankle when he leapt out of a window to safety after his flat at 660 Castle St went on fire about 6am on May 14.
His father, Peter McPhail, of Auckland, said Robby had had a four-hour operation to repair the damage to his left ankle nine days ago and was now at home in Auckland recovering.
"There's a bit of healing period both physically and mentally,'' Mr McPhail said.
Robby was not suffering mentally as such but there was a "bit of a settling down period'' to get over the trauma, he said.
"Time changes things,'' Mr McPhail said.
There had been no timeframe given by doctors for Robby's recovery but the law student was planning to return to Dunedin and continue his study.
The keen rugby player also sustained cuts and burns to his hands after encountering flames and searing heat before breaking his bedroom window to escape.
His hands were at about 80% now, Mr McPhail said.
Police were still investigating the blaze.
A police media spokeswoman said that no-one had been arrested.
"The investigation is still ongoing and there are no updates at this time,'' the police spokeswoman said.
University of Otago Campus Watch staff went door-to-door on May 16 checking that flats in North Dunedin had working smoke alarms after it was revealed the Castle St flat had smoke alarms but they were found stowed in a cupboard.
Robby McPhail had been out with his father at a Super Rugby match the night before the
fire and was woken by his flatmates escaping the blaze downstairs.
His two flatmates suffered minor injuries including smoke inhalation, cuts and bruises and were also admitted to Dunedin Hospital.
The house is the former flat of Kiwi band Six60, which formed and regularly played gigs there.
