AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR SEVEN SHARP. CAPTIONS BY MAEVE KELLY, EMMA BARTOSZEWICZ POOLE THAT'S THE WEATHER FOR NOW, NOW TYPE IS IN SHARP. AND KRISTIN WILLIAMS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021 KIA ORA, GOOD EVENING. WE HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT SHOW FOR YOU TONIGHT. IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS IT A TRAINING EXERCISE FOR FIREFIGHTERS, IT'LL BE A TRAINING EXERCISE FOR EVERY ONE US SO WE CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A FIRE TAKES HOLD IN A HOUSE. THIS IS THE HOUSE WHERE THE FIRE WILL BE SET. IT'S A HOUSE THAT WAS SET FOR DEMOLITION, AND IT'S A VITAL PART OF THIS REAL-TIME TRAINING DRILL. WE'VE GOT CAMERAS SET UP IN EVERY ROOM. REMEMBER, THIS IS A CONTROLLED HOUSE BURN. WE ARE WITH THE PROFESSIONALS, AND OUR TEAM HAS BEEN TRAINED BY THEM TO BE PART OF THIS EXPERIMENT. A FORMER FAMILY HOME IN SUBURBAN PALMERSTON NORTH NOW A TRAINING GROUND TO SHOW HOW FAST FIRE SPREADS. THIS THREE-BEDROOM HOUSE WAS EARMARKED FOR DEMOLITION AND DONATED TO FIRE AND EMERGENCY NEW ZEALAND FOR TRAINING PURPOSES. TONIGHT, IT'S BEEN DECORATED TO RESEMBLE A FAMILY HOME. IN ORDER TO BRING YOU THIS DEMONSTRATION, OUR CREW HAS UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE FIRE SAFETY TRAINING. INSIDE THE HOUSE, THEY'LL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SIX LIVE FIRE TRAINERS. SAFETY OFFICERS AND FIRE ENGINES WILL BE STATIONED AROUND THE PROPERTY'S PERIMETER, WITH NEARBY STREETS CORDONED OFF TO TRAFFIC. FIRE AND EMERGENCY NEW ZEALAND HAS SPENT EIGHT WEEKS PREPARING THIS HOUSE FOR THE BURN, BUT IT WILL ONLY TAKE SECONDS FOR THE FIRE TO TAKE HOLD. AND ALSO JOINING US IN THE STUDIO TONIGHT IS PETER GALLAGHER, NATIONAL ADVISOR FOR FIRE RISK MANAGEMENT. HE'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE US A BIT OF INSIGHT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AS WE WATCH IT UNFOLD LIVE. HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS SORT OF LIVE DRILL, PETER? IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, BOTH FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS TO GET THE LIVE EXPERIENCE BUT ALSO FOR PEOPLE AT HOME TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT A REAL HOUSE FIRE IS LIKE, BECAUSE IT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE MOVIES. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THIS HOUSE WAS SET FOR DEMOLITION. IT WAS GOING TO BE DESTROYED. ABSOLUTELY. THIS PROPERTY WAS GIFTED TO US FOR THIS PURPOSE, BUT IT IS SCHEDULED FOR DEMOLITION, SO WE'RE JUST HELPING THE PROCESS, BUT WE ARE GOING TO GET SOME LEARNING OUT OF IT AS WELL, SO THAT MAKES FOR ADDED VALUE. WOULD YOU CALL THIS A TYPICAL HOUSE? PRETTY MUCH, THIS IS A TYPICAL HOUSE, MANUFACTURED AND BUILT AND PROBABLY THE 40S OR 50S. IT IS A STANDARD LAYOUT OF 3 TO 4 BEDROOMS ` KITCHEN, BATHROOM ` ALL THE STUFF YOU FIND IN ANY HOME IN NEW ZEALAND. AND OF COURSE, OUR REPORTER LUCAS DE JONG IS AT THE SCENE. LUCAS, YOU'RE OUR MAN ON THE GROUND ` AND LOOKING WELL PREPARED TOO. ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS WHAT OF THE TRAINING LOOKS LIKE. THIS IS THE LOUNGE AND A VERY TYPICAL HOUSE, AND THIS IS SIMPLY A TYPICAL WAY OF HOW A FIRE WOULD START ` A GAS HEATER, CLOTHES NEXT TO IT. DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ANYTHING TOO COMPLEX. WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WHEN SOMETHING COMES IN, YOU CAN SEE THE SMOKE STARTING TO RISE. THAT IS WHY THEY TALK ABOUT KEEPING THINGS FAR FROM THE HEATER, BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYTHING COMING THROUGH AND KNOCKING THIS, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU LEAVE THE ROOM FOR 30 SECONDS, AND A WAY IT GOES. IT REALLY IS SOMETHING` YOU CANNOT BE TOO PREPARED FOR. LOOK AT THAT. ALREADY STARTING. OFF IT GOES. STRAIGHT AWAY, THAT HAS JUST PICKED UP THAT ENTIRE AMOUNT OF CLOTHING. PETER, YOU COULD PROBABLY TALK MORE ABOUT THIS ABOUT HOW THINGS CAN HAPPEN HERE AND ABOUT HOW THINGS CAN TAKE OFF. YES. WE ARE WATCHING THIS IN REAL TIME, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW QUICKLY, WAS THAT CLOTHES GET THE HEAT ON THEM AND START TO DRY OUT, IT GOES FROM BEING A STABLE SITUATION TO A VERY SEVERE FIRE QUITE QUICKLY. YOU CAN SEE THE NYLON AND SOME OF THOSE FABRIC STARTING TO MELT. THAT BECOMES LIKE BURNING PETROL ON THE CARPET. I SOME OF THESE PRODUCTS WE ARE SEEING CATCHING FIRE A LOT WORSE THAN OTHERS? IF THAT WAS A WOOL RUG, WOULD THAT BE MORE FIRE RETARDANT? NATURAL FIBRES DO TEND TO BE MORE FIRE RETARDANT. HOWEVER, WITH THAT AMOUNT OF HEAT, ANY FABRIC WILL BURN. YOU CAN HEAR THERE IS A SMOKE ALARM IN THE ROOM, WHICH IS ACTIVATED NOW, AND TELLING YOU TO GET OUT. THAT FIRE IS BEYOND CONTROL FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON. YOU CAN SEE ALREADY THERE IS A LOT OF SMOKE IN THAT ROOM. THAT HAS ONLY BEEN GOING FOR ONE MINUTE AND 45 SECONDS. PROBABLY WITHIN THAT FIRST 30 TO 40 SECONDS AS THE ENVELOPE YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THAT ROOM, BECAUSE` LUCAS IS IN FULL BREATHING APPARATUS, SO HE IS NOT BEING EXPOSED TO THE TOXIC GASES AS THESE THINGS MELT AND BURN. ALL OF THOSE GASES ARE COMING FROM THE FURNISHINGS, MAINLY? PRIMARILY A LOT OF FURNISHINGS AND MODERN HOMES ARE PETROLEUM-BASED, SO WHEN THEY BURN, THEY ARE GIVING OFF A VERY NASTY HYDROCARBON VAPOURS. WE CAN SEE IT IS REALLY TAKING HOLD NOW. WE ARE ONLY TWO MINUTES, 24 SECONDS. ISN'T THAT AMAZING HOW QUICKLY NOW WE HAVE GONE FROM A SITUATION WHERE IT WAS TONY JUST MOMENTS AGO AND ALREADY YOU ARE GETTING EMBERS AND THAT DARK BLACK SMOKE STARTING TO POUR OUT AND INTO THAT AREA. THIS IS SORT OF LIKE... THINGS ARE STARTING TO POP OFF THE WALLS. I THINK YOU CAN SEE THE BLACK SMOKE JUST POURING OUT OF THIS ROOM. WHAT IS THE BEST THING TO DO RIGHT NOW, PETER? THE VERY BEST THING AT THIS POINT WOULD BE TO BE OUTSIDE THE HOUSE. IT IS TOO LATE. THAT ROOM IS AN SURVIVABLE AT THIS POINT. WITHOUT PROTECTIVE CLOTHING, YOU COULD NOT SURVIVE IN THAT ROOM. WE CAN HEAR THINGS ARE SMASHING. WHAT IS THAT QUICKER MARKERS THAT A WINDOW? I JUST HEARD SOME MIRRORS AND SOME PHOTO FRAME SMASHING. THERE ARE THINGS ALL OVER THE PLACE. WHEN I START TO MOVE BACK A BIT FURTHER AWAY, THAT BLACK SMOKE IS STARTING TO REALLY CREEP OUT. GET DOWN, GET LOW. IF I STOOD HERE, I WOULD HAVE NO VISION ON ANYTHING GOING ON ABOVE ME. IT IS INTERESTING, YOU CAN SEE ON THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE HELD THE SMOKE COMES DOWN TO A CERTAIN LEVEL. YOU CAN SEE YOUR MESSAGE OF KEEPING LOW SO VITAL. THAT IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT WILL BE FRESH AIR. ALL THAT BLACK SMOKE, IT IS BLACK BECAUSE IT CONTAINS SO MUCH TOXIC MATERIAL THAT ONE OR TWO BREATHS IS FATAL. BY THE STAGE, LUCAS HAS PROTECTIVE CLOTHES ON , BUT THAT SMOKE IS JUST POISON. LOOK HOW DARK IT IS. AND IT CONTINUES TO GET THICKER AND THICKER, AND THAT SMOKE LAYER WILL DROP UNTIL IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF 100 MM OFF THE FLOOR. WE ARE JUST COMING UP TO 4 AND HALF MINUTES. YOU CAN SET THE TIMER FROM THE TIME THE FIRE WAS LIT IN THE BOTTOM LEFT-HAND CORNER, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH OF THE HOUSE IS NOW ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THIS IS AN ADJOINING ROOM, SO WE ARE SEEING SMOKE LAYER COME THROUGH THE HALLWAY AND INTO THE OTHER ROOM. IT IS NOW STARTING TO OVERWHELM THE ENTIRE PROPERTY. THAT SMOKE IS COMING DOWN AND DOWN. LUCAS IS POINTING AT THE LEVEL AT WHICH THE SMOKE HAS COME. WE CAN HEAR THE POPPING` HELIUM BALLOONS. WE HAD A PARTY SET UP IN HERE, AND ALL THE BALLOONS HAVE BURST. THIS IDEA OF` I KNOW WE HAVE MADE AN EVACUATION PLAN OF WHERE WE ARE GOING TO GET OUT... I THINK IF YOU HAD THE ADRENALINE TAKING OVER AND YOU ARE TRYING TO REALISE WHERE YOU ARE GOING, THE VISION ` HOW QUICKLY THE VISION AND HOW QUICKLY THE SMOKE WOULD GET INTO YOUR LUNGS IS INCREDIBLE. THE SUN HAS GONE DOWN. THE POWER MAY WELL HAVE BEEN CUT BY NOW. VISION IS A REALLY DIFFICULT THING. ABSOLUTELY. THAT SMOKE IS BLACK. IT IS VERY THICK. IT IS ACID SMOKE AS WELL, SO IT IS FORCING YOUR EYES TO CLOSE. KEEPING YOUR EYES OPEN AND THAT SMOKE IS DIFFICULT ANYWAY. IF YOU STOOD UP WITH THAT LEVEL OF SMOKE AND TRIED TO ESCAPE NOW, HOW LONG WOULD YOU HAVE TO GET OUT? I DOUBT WHETHER YOU WOULD MAKE IT TO THE DOOR IF IT WAS 2M AWAY FROM YOU. YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE A DIVORCE TO METRES AWAY. IN THOSE CONDITIONS, YOU WILL NOT SEE YOUR HAND IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE. OBVIOUSLY, SMOKE IS THE SILENT KILLER. WHAT SORT OF TEMPERATURES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? AT CEILING HEIGHT, A TYPICAL LOUNGE CAN PRODUCE UP TO 1000 C. I CAN HEAR THE FIRE. I CAN HEAR IT GOING ON, BUT I CAN'T SEE IT AT ALL FROM THAT ALTHOUGH. WHAT YOU CAN GET ` IF YOU BRING BACK MY FIREMAN MINDER ` THAT ORANGE GLOW STARTING TO COME THROUGH. YOU HAVE A VISION IN HOLLYWOOD FIRES THAT THERE WILL BE FLAMES GOING OFF, BUT IT IS JUST BLACKNESS, JUST ABSOLUTE BLACK SMOKE GOING ON. WHAT IS ALSO SURPRISING, LUCAS AND PETER, IS THE AMOUNT OF SWIRLING GOING ON WITH THAT SMOKE. CLEARLY, THERE IS A WINDOW OPEN AND THAT IS FUELLING THE FIRE IS MORE OXYGEN COMES IN. ABSOLUTELY. AS THE WINDOWS BREAK AT MORE OXYGEN BECOMES AVAILABLE, THE FIRE GETS HOTTER AND SO IT BECOMES EVEN LESS SURVIVABLE. THAT IS WHY IT IS IMPORTANT IN THOSE FIRST FEW SECONDS, YOU HAVE THAT EARLY WARNING AND GET OUT AND HAVE A PLAN TO GET OUT. SEVEN MINUTES NOW. THE FIRE HAS REALLY TAKEN HOLD. YOU HAVE JUST SEEN THE WINDOW BURST IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE AS WELL, SO WE HAVE NOW GOT THE FLAMES COMING OUT, EXTENDING OUT THROUGH THE WINDOW. THAT IS ALLOWING MORE OXYGEN AND, INCREASING THE TEMPERATURE. GOOD TO POINT OUT AGAIN ` THIS IS A CONTROLLED FIRE. IT IS BEING UNDERTAKEN WITH THE FIRE SERVICE. THE WHOLE ROOM IS JUST ON FIRE. IT IS HARD TO HEAR. LUCAS HAS HAD TRAINING. YOU HAVE TAKEN HIM UNDER YOUR WING. SO HE IS VERY MUCH BEING TAKEN CARE OF. BUT WE HAVE TO THINK THEY WILL BE GETTING OUT VERY SHORTLY. THEY WILL NOT REMAIN IN THEIR MUCH LONGER. THAT FIRE IS QUITE WELL-ESTABLISHED NOW IN THOSE FRONT ROOMS AND STARTING TO MOVE THE REST OF THE HOUSE. I WANT TO COME OVER HERE TO SHOW YOU THIS ROOM, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE PREPARED A BIT EARLIER, AND YOU WILL SEE ` LOOK AT THE SMOKE GOING ON. THAT IS WHY GETTING DOWN IS SO IMPORTANT. YOU CAN SEE THE SMOKE AND THE HEAT COMING OFF THIS WALLS. THIS IS THE BEDROOM THAT DOESN'T HAVE A SMOKE ALARM AND IT. THE FIRE HASN'T REACHED THE STORE. LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I OPEN IT. *THIS DOOR. LOOK HOW QUICKLY THE PERSON WHO WOULD BE SLEEPING AT THERE WOULD HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS HAPPENING BECAUSE THERE IS NO SMOKE ALARM. HOW INCREDIBLE IS THAT? CAN YOU SMELL SMOKE WHILE YOU WERE SPEAKING? WILL THE SMELL OF SMOKE WAKE YOU UP? NO. IT IS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION. WHEN YOU SLEEP` WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY ANIMALS ON THE PLANET THAT LOOSES OUR SENSE OF SMELL. DOGS AND CATS RETAIN THEIR SENSE OF SMELL, BUT WE TURN OURS OFF. THAT'S WHY SMOKE ALARM IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE HOW QUICKLY THAT SMOKE FILLS THE ROOM. YOU CAN SEE SMALL ITEMS IN THE ROOM ARE NOW STARTING TO IGNITE ALL AROUND BECAUSE OF THE HEAT THAT HAS COME THROUGH WITH THAT SMOKE ` REMEMBERING THAT THE SMOKE IS CARRYING A LOT OF THE HEAT WITH IT. I WANT TO JUST SHOW YOU HERE NOW THAT IS PICKING UP 580 DEGREES. YOU CAN SEE THE HEAT ROLLING INTO THIS ROOM, THE SMOKE ABOVE US. DOWN WHERE WE ARE HERE, 24, 90 DEGREES. THIS IS A LIVABLE AREA, AND RIGHT THERE WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS CERTAINLY NOT. THAT SOME REAL EMBERS AND SMOKE STARTING TO POUR OUT OF THAT ROOM. AND YOU CAN SEE IT JUST CATCHING ALL OF THE OUTDOOR FURNITURE. IT IS JUST EATING THE HOUSE ALIVE. SO MUCH HEAT THERE THAT ANYTHING WILL BURN. THIS IS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT HAVING THAT ESCAPE PLAN, MAKING SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO GET OUT, BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEEN HOW FAST THE FIRE HAS GONE FROM JUST A SMALL FIRE THAT POSSIBLY YOU MIGHT THINK WAS CONTAINED BUT NOW IS COMPLETELY, AS YOU SAY, EATING THE HOUSE. WHAT ARE THE FACTORS`? IS LIKE THE OUTSIDE AIR IS BEING DRAWN IN. I AM DOWN ON THE GROUND NOW TO TRY AND KEEP OUT OF THE SMOKE. THE GAS ` THAT IS WHAT'S REALLY BURNING ON THE OTHER ROOM. THAT IS 11 MINUTES NOW. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, IF YOU ARE ASLEEP, 11 MINUTES AND WHOLE HOUSES ENGULFED. CORRECT. IF YOU ARE LIVING IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU ARE IN A RURAL SPACE, THERE IS A TIME DELAY FOR FIRE AND EMERGENCY TO GET THERE, SO YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT AFFECT HOW LONG HOUSE FIRE TAKES HOLD? IT DEPENDS ON THE FUEL AVAILABLE TO THE FIRE. A LOT OF MODERN FURNISHINGS BURN VERY QUICKLY. THE OTHER FACTORS ARE THINGS LIKE VENTILATION ` HOW MANY WINDOWS ARE OPEN. CONVERSELY, IF EVERYTHING IS SHUT UP, WE CAN END UP WITH A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE THE SMOKE IS CONTAINED IN THE HOUSE. THERE IS A HAPPY MEDIUM ABOUT VENTILATING THE HOUSE BUT ALSO NOT HOLDING TOO MUCH HEAT IN. ICY LUCAS HAS MADE HIS WAY OUT OF THE HOUSE NOW. LUCAS, YOU OUT. THAT IS WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. YOU PROBABLY CAN'T TELL ` THAT IS WHERE THE FIRE STARTED, IN THAT ROOM. WE ARE TALKING 12 MINUTES NOW, AND THE SENTARA HALF OF THE HOUSE IS ABSOLUTELY ANNIHILATED. AND LIMBS THROUGH THAT WINDOW OF THE KIND OF FLAMES TAKING THAT PLACE OVER. I KNOW YOU HAVE ALL THE GEAR ON, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF THE HEAT? STANDING RIGHT HERE, THE HEAT, THROUGH THESE PROFESSIONAL LAYERS, IS SO INTENSE. I THINK IT IS THE OXYGEN MASK THAT SAVED ME TODAY. BEING STILL ABLE TO OPERATE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT... I FEEL LIKE WE ARE ONLY JUST STARTING TO FEEL LIKE WHAT THIS HEAT COULD COME TO FROM INSIDE THAT HOME. IT IS REMARKABLE JUST HOW QUICKLY THE PHI HAS SPREAD IN 13 MINUTES, SUCH A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME. MORE TO COME. STAY WITH US. WE WILL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. I THINK THAT IS GOOD, MATE. NAU MAI, HOKI MAI. WELCOME BACK. GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US. IF YOU'VE JUST JOINED US, TONIGHT, WE'RE SHOWING YOU IN REAL TIME THE EFFECTS OF A FIRE BREAKING OUT IN YOUR HOME. THIS FIRE IS IN AN ABANDONED HOME THAT WAS SET FOR DEMOLITION, AND IT ALL STARTED WITH CLOTHES HANGING TOO CLOSE TO AN ELECTRIC HEATER. WE CAN SEE HOW QUICKLY IT'S TAKEN HOLD. FIRE AND EMERGENCY REGIONAL TRAINER CHRIS KENNEDY IS ON THE SCENE IN PALMERSTON NORTH. CHRIS, AT THIS POINT, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO ANYONE TEMPTED TO GO BACK INTO THE HOUSE TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING? DEFINITELY DON'T GO BACK IN. THE MOST IMPORTANT` ONCE YOU ARE OUT, STAY OUT. TOO MANY TIMES, EVERYBODY GETS OUT AND THINKS, WE CAN'T FIND SOMETHING AND GOES RUNNING BACK AND, AND THAT IS WHERE IT BECOMES UNFORTUNATE AND MORE THAN LIKELY YOU DON'T COME BACK OUT AGAIN. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING IN THE STUDIO WITH PETER ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE A PLAN. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT. THEY HAVE A PLAN FOR GETTING OUT, BUT THEY FORGET TO SET A MEETING PLACE. HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT? DEFINITELY. HAVING A PLAN IS CRITICAL, BUT NOT ONLY HAVE A PLAN; YOU NEED TO REHEARSE IT AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS IT AND KNOWS IT WELL, BECAUSE WHEN THINGS GO WRONG, PANIC SETS IN, AND IT COULD EASILY BE FORGOTTEN. THE NEXT THING IS DEFINITELY HAVING THAT AGREED SAFE MEETING PLACE, WHETHER IT BE THE LETTERBOX ` OR, IF YOU LIVE OUT OF THE COUNTRY, IT MIGHT BE A TREE THAT IS FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. IMPORTANT THING IS THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT AS THE SAFE MEETING PLACE, THAT IS WHERE WE GO AND WHERE WE STAY UNTIL THE FIRE BRIGADE RIFE. BURNING DOWN A HOUSE, LIKE WE'RE DOING TONIGHT, CAN BE QUITE DISTURBING TO WATCH. HOW IMPORTANT IS IT, THOUGH, FOR FIRE AND EMERGENCY TEAMS? THIS IS CRUCIAL TRAINING FOR OUR FIRE EMERGENCY STAFF. WE CAN DO SO MUCH TRAINING USING A TEXTBOOK, COMPUTER-GENERATED GAS PROPS, BUT TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO EXPOSE THE PEOPLE TO LIVE FIRE LIKE WHAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME IS CRUCIAL. THEY COULD BE CALLED UPON TO DO THIS AT ANY TIME, SO WE WANT THEM TO HAVE THE MOST OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT THERE AND TRAIN LIKE THIS AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHRIS. WE ARE GOING TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE LIVE CAMERAS INSIDE THE FIRE ` IF THEY HAVE SURVIVED ` WHICH HAS NOW BEEN BURNING FOR 20 MINUTES. HAVE WE GOT ANY LIVE PICTURES FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE? NO. THEY HAVE NOT SURVIVED. PETER, AT WHAT POINT IS IT TOO DANGEROUS FOR EVEN FIREFIGHTERS TO BE IN A BUILDING LIKE THAT? NO FIREFIGHTER WOULD BE IN THAT BUILDING RIGHT NOW. KNOW. IF YOU LOOK TO THE LEFT THERE, WHERE THAT ROOM IS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN FIRE, THAT IS SURVIVABLE. NOBODY LIVING IN THEIR` AND WE WOULD NOT RISK OUR PERSONNEL GOING INTO THAT ROOM. AT THIS POINT, SURVIVAL IS NEGATIVE. LUCAS, YOU HAVE BEEN STANDING BY WATCHING. THIS IS A CONTROLLED SITUATION, BUT HOW DOES THE FIRE FEEL WHEN YOU ARE STANDING? LET'S GO BACK AND HAVE A LOOK AT OUR LIVE CAMERAS INSIDE THE THE REALITY ABOUT THIS WHEN YOU ARE IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THE ADRENALINE TAKES HOLD AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. IMAGINE WAKING UP TO THAT. HAVE A LOOK AT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE HERE COME OUT TO WATCH IT. THESE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE WE HAVE BEEN CHATTING TO, TALKING ABOUT THAT. IF YOU HAVE A LOOK OVER HERE, WE HAVE A BIG SCREEN TV TO SHOW THESE GUYS EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON INSIDE THE HOUSE ITSELF. IT IS PRETTY CRAZY, GUYS. AS IT PRETTY CRAZY EXPERIENCING THIS? I'M JUST GOING TO GO THROUGH HERE. WHAT WAS THE BIG LESSON YOU TOOK FROM THAT? THE BIG LESSON IS THAT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE CORRECT PROTOCOLS IN PLACE IN YOUR HOUSE, WITHIN 10 MINUTES, YOU ARE SMOKE. ABSOLUTE SMOKE. HAVE YOU GOT AN EMERGENCY PLAN? YES. ADD AN EVACUATION PLAN? GET DOWN, GET OUT. DO YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE EXIT WOULD BE? IT WOULD DEPEND WHERE THE FIRE WAS. A QUICK SHOW OF HANDS HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE A SMOKE ALARM IN EVERY ROOM OF THE HOUSE? NOT ENOUGH. THANK YOU, LUCAS. WE SAID AT THE OUTSET THAT THIS WAS A TRAINING EXERCISE FOR FIREFIGHTERS, BUT IT IS ALSO A TRAINING EXERCISE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. LET US LOOK OVER SOME OF THE KEY THINGS WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER. WHEN YOUR HOUSE BURNS, IT'S NOTHING LIKE IN THE MOVIES. FIRE GETS REAL FAST. YOU HAVE LESS THAN THREE MINUTES TO ESCAPE ALIVE. THE THICK BLACK SMOKE MAKES IT HARD TO SEE, HEAR AND THINK. FIRE IS DISORIENTATING AND CAN MAKE YOUR HOME SEEM UNFAMILIAR. THE MOST COMMON CAUSES ARE UNATTENDED COOKING AND HEATERS USED INCORRECTLY. YOUR BEST LINE OF DEFENCE IS HAVING WORKING SMOKE ALARMS AND HAVING AN ESCAPE PLAN FOR YOUR WHANAU. PUT WORKING SMOKE ALARMS IN EVERY BEDROOM, HALLWAY AND LIVING AREA. WHEN YOU'RE ASLEEP, YOU LOSE YOUR SENSE OF SMELL, SO MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR SMOKE ALARMS REGULARLY. YOU CAN MAKE AN ESCAPE PLAN ONLINE. MAKE SURE YOU MAP TWO EXITS AND A MEETING PLACE. PRACTISE THE PLAN REGULARLY SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. MAKE SURE EVERYONE KNOWS ` REMEMBER, FIRE GETS REAL FAST. (SIREN WAILS, FIRE CRACKLES) THE FIRE HAS BEEN GOING FOR 24 MINUTES. PETER GALLAGHER, WHAT'S THE BIGGEST MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE WHEN THEY ARE CONFRONTED BY A SITUATION LIKE THIS? THE BIGGEST MISTAKE IS NOT BEING PREPARED, NOT HAVING THAT PLAN THAT IS FRONT OF MIND SO YOU CAN ACT ON IT STRAIGHT AWAY. IF I LOOK BACK ON MY CAREER AS AN INVESTIGATOR, THE MOST COMMON THING I HEAR IS THAT PEOPLE DID NOT APPRECIATE HOW FAST TO THE FIRE WOULD BE. THAT OF THE ONE THING EVERYBODY SAYS I DIDN'T REALISE IT WOULD BE SO FAST. WE HAVE SEEN THAT LIFE. *SEEN IT LIVE. CERTAINLY A LOT TO THINK ABOUT. WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT WITH MORE. STAY WITH US. NAU MAI HOKI MAI. WELCOME BACK. AND WHAT A NIGHT. ANOTHER STARK REMINDER OF JUST HOW QUICKLY FIRE CAN SPREAD. PETER GALLAGHER FROM THE FIRE SERVICE, IF THERE'S ONE THING YOU WANT EVERYONE TO REMEMBER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? FIRE IS NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE FROM THE MOVIES. IT IS VERY FAST. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO GET OUT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SMOKE ALARM AND A PLAN. ONCE YOU ARE OUT, YOU HAVE TO STAY OUT, BECAUSE THAT FIRE IS JUST ESCALATING EVERY SECOND. THANK YOU SO MUCH, PETER. EXTRAORDINARY. ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY HOW QUICKLY IT TAKES HOLD. IT AS A REMINDER TO ALL OF US ` GET OUT, STAY OUT. IF YOU WANT TO KEEP WATCHING WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR HOUSE FIRE, WE'RE GOING TO LIVE-STREAM IT ON THE SEVEN SHARP FACEBOOK PAGE. THOSE WERE OUR PEOPLE TODAY. THAT WAS SEVEN SHARP TONIGHT. 'BEAT THE CHASERS' IS UP NEXT. WE'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. PO MARIE. STAY SAFE AND CHEERIO. CAPTIONS BY MAEVE KELLY, EMMA BARTOSZEWICZ POOLE AND KRISTIN WILLIAMS. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. WWW.ABLE.CO.NZ COPYRIGHT ABLE 2021