A woman is facing charges after firefighters rescued two pre-school-aged children from a smoke-logged house in Christchurch.
Neighbours called emergency services to the Eureka Street property in Aranui, where a smoke alarm was going off at 10pm on Tuesday.
They found the children alone in the house and rescued them before a fire started.
The children were not hurt.
A 35-year-old woman is facing two charges of ill-treatment of a child, as well as a charge of resisting police and possession of a cannabis plant.
She is due to reappear in court later this month.
Police thanked the neighbours who called for help, saying they prevented a tragedy.
