A Paretai man received burns early yesterday morning as he re-entered his burning home to try to retrieve possessions.
Balclutha, Clutha Valley and Kaitangata volunteer firefighters were called to Koau Rd in Paretai, 12km south of Balclutha, about 1am to find the house on a family farm well ablaze.
Acting Balclutha Volunteer Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer Terry Michie said the two adults and five children were safe but the adult male had minor burns on his back.
Specialist Fire Investigator Paul Glanville, of Invercargill, said the man had discovered the fire in a shed off a carport after being woken by a strange noise.
He had attempted to fight the fire but it was too well involved so he got his family out of the house.
As the fire took hold in the house, he went back inside.
That prompted Mr Glanville to issue a reminder, ''Once you're out, it's really, really important to stay out.''
The man was treated by St John at the scene.
The cause was undetermined yesterday but Mr Glanville thought it could have been caused by an electrical fault in the ceiling, after he ruled out all the appliances in the shed.
He said the walls of the house were still standing and the roof was only just intact.
''Being a very old home with a lot of timber, the fire spread absolutely rapidly.''
Mr Michie said as it was a rural property, the brigades had to use their water tankers and, while waiting for another tanker to arrive, had to tap into the property's water tank.
He said it was not known whether the house was insured but it was on a family property with other dwellings and so the people had somewhere to go.
Firefighters remained at the scene until 7.30am.
