Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Three people have been badly injured in separate attempts to remove a burning mattress, dryer and pot of oil from their Dunedin homes.
Fire and Emergency said they were lucky not to have been killed by the fires in recent weeks, with one person asleep in a house without working smoke alarms.
Otago risk reduction advisor Matt Jones said people should not try to deal with fires themselves.
"These people have sustained serious injuries, but we were fortunate to not be responding to fatal fires," he said.
"Let this be a reminder to people that if a fire is bigger than a football, then you can't put it out. You must get out and stay out. That means closing the door to the room if safe to do so, getting everyone out of the house and calling 111. Let the firefighters do their job and put the fire out safely."
Jones said the mattress fire was caused by a vape's battery overheating while charging on a bed.
"That caused a very intense, hot fire inside the mattress," he said.
"The person attempted to remove the mattress three times, but this put themselves and others in danger, not only from the fire, but from the toxic smoke being emitted.
"Everything in that house can be replaced, except for the people inside. People should never risk their lives to save their property - it's just not worth it."
The home did not have working smoke alarms, Jones said.
"It was just fortunate the person arrived home when they did as there was another person asleep inside the house at the time," he said.
FENZ recommended having working smoke alarms in all bedrooms, hallways and living areas and a three-step escape plan.
