Fire and Emergency NZ responded to a report of a house fire on Malvern St in St Albans just after 3am.
The home's occupant allowed Star News to film the damage to the house on Monday, which was extensive.
The woman, who did not want to be named, wanted to get across the message that "working smoke alarms save lives".
A southern fire communication shift manager said the single storey house was well ablaze when three crews - two from Christchurch and one from the Anzac station - arrived.
The cause of the blaze is unknown at this stage and a fire safety investigator has not been requested. It is not thought to be suspicious.
St John attended and treated one person who did not require transportation to hospital. The injuries were minor and not fire-related.
