Man saved in burning flat

Press, 2 June 1981, Page 1

Man saved in burning flat

PA Wellington A Wellington man saved another from death in a blazing home on Sunday evening — and relieved the grief of an earlier,-fatal fire. At 10.44 p.m. on Sunday, Mr Eru Papuni and his wife woke in their Taita flat to the sound of glass breaking and people shouting. They saw flames and smoke billowing from an adjoining flat. The shouts were from a Kampuchean family in the flat separating his own from the burning building. “They were panicking,” Mr Papuni said later. "They don’t speak much English. They didn’t know what to do.. For 29-year-old Mr Papanui the fire brought back memories of an earlier fire in a similar flat when he and other onlookers stood and watched a flat burn. Later the body of a child was found inside. Mr Papuni said , that he had never forgiven himself. •

With this memory behind him, he raced into his neighbour's flat and began to help others pull out furniture. He knew that a man named Allan lived there with his wife and children.

“I shot inside and it was pretty dark,” said Mr Papuni/“I helped get his gear out and then decided to go upstairs.” ■ ' At the top of the steep stairs he found Allan Hunia lying unconscious. Flames . were pouring through the roof and the asbestos ceiling was exploding. "It was so ‘dark and the smoke was thick,” he said. "I searched the other rooms but couldn’t -find- anyone so went to him. I thought he Was dead.

“I tried to find ; a pulse in his- left arm. but couldn’t. I eventually found, it in his right arm. I thought he had swallowed, his tongue.”

Mr Papuni pulled Mr Hunia down the stairs and out into fresh air.

; When the fire brigade arrived minutes later, Mr Hunia was still not breathing. but was revived and taken to Hutt Hospital. He was discharged yesterday morning and is thought to be staying with friends. “I still feel guilty about that first fire,” Mr Papuni said. “Now I believe in getting stuck in.”