“The fire began shortly before 9am yesterday in the bedroom of the house in Kauika Rd, Whangarei, and may have started by the two boys playing with matches, said police.

The name of the dead child, a five-year-old, had yet to be released. His three-year-old brother was in a critical condition in Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital.

The two men carried both to the front lawn where an attempt was made to revive the older child and the younger boy was given first aid.

The occupants were alerted by a passer-by who saw smoke pouring from the eaves.

One of the people living in the house and the boys’ stepfather ran to the bedroom but burnt their hands on the door handle and had to kick down the door.

Northland police said “initial indications” showed the fire began in the children’s bedroom and matches were found in the room.

All four smoke alarms in the house had no batteries.” -stuff.co.nz

I think the two men should be given an award for doing this. I mean, it’s not every day that your house catches on fire, and you save a life. I’ve also read different stories where people doing great deeds like this got a medal.

I don’t think it was a very smart idea to play with matches. Maybe the boys’ parents should have realised what the two were doing, so the tragedy never had to happen. At my old school, people came in to talk to us about fire dangers- they mentioned never playing with matches. But the two young boys might not have been to school yet, so they wouldn’t have learnt about fire safety.

The men were very courageous, considering the situation. I can only hope that if anything similar happens at my house, I can be as heroic as them.