Manurewa kitchen fire leaves three injured, one critical

Three people are injured including one who was taken to hospital in a critical condition after a kitchen caught fire in Manurewa on Saturday afternoon, St John says.

A Fire and Emergency communications shift supervisor said crews were called to the two-storey apartment block in Ellen St about 1.30pm after several reports of a fire.

They arrived to find a fire in the kitchen and smoke filling both levels of the home.

Three people were taken to hospital, the supervisor said. Firefighters extinguished the blaze before it could spread to consume the apartment block.

A St John spokeswoman said they sent two ambulances, two rapid response units and a manager to the scene.

“Our crews assessed and treated three patients; one in a critical condition, one in a serious condition, and one in a moderate condition who were all transported to Middlemore hospital,” the spokeswoman said.

Police were also on the scene. A police spokesman said the fire was not suspicious but there was no word yet on the cause.