Neighbours' fast work saves heavy sleeper from burning houseMARION VAN DIJK The fire damaged house on Sowman St in the Brook. Quick-thinking neighbours saved a Nelson man who slept through a smoke alarm in his burning house. The exterior cladding of a Sowman St house in the Brook caught fire around 11pm on Wednesday night. Nelson fire station officer Kevin O'Connor said neighbours heard the smoke alarm go off when they were sitting outside. He said the occupant had not woken up from the sound of his smoke alarm, or when smoke began filling his house, and was lucky the neighbours acted quickly.

Source: Stuff July 12, 2017 21:44 UTC