A man is in critical condition in Christchurch hospital after a fire at a motel complex.
Emergency services say the fire broke out at the Central City Motel Apartments on Wednesday morning.
David Wright was in the room next to the fire and say the alarms went off at around 6:45am.
"I thought maybe it was just a false alarm," he says.
"I just grabbed my stuff and went outside, I could smell the smoke straight away, so I was out of there pretty quick."
Mr Wright says he tried to put the fire out but the flames were too intense.
"It was well up in flames by the time I got out of my room," he says.
"We all got out pretty safe, everyone got out quick, the fire engines turned up about five minutes later."
Emergency services pulled the man out from the fire who was unconscious and taken to hospital.
Firefighters are still on the scene and cordons remain in place on Barbados St.
Newshub.
