Stoneridge Tce residents Mark Anderson and Sam Ivey were told by an elderly neighbour about 10am that a fire had started next door. The two quickly ran to the blaze with their hose.
"We chucked a hose on it and managed to get it all out just before the fire engine showed up," said Mr Anderson, who works as a chef in Queenstown.
Firefighter Roydon Cullimore said the ashes had been emptied too close to the wooden structure outside the house.
Mr Cullimore said it was important at this time of year to empty ashes securely, away from combustibles.
"Ashes can stay hot for up to five days," he warned.
He said this was not the first incident where ashes had set buildings on fire while properties were unattended.
Meanwhile, the two neighbours were modest about their mid-morning heroics.
"It was the fire service who did the job," Mr Anderson said.
- Olivia Caldwell
