A Gisborne mother had to physically stop her teen son from rushing into their kitchen to put out a fire as flames hit the ceiling. Meri Haapu has been overwhelmed by community support after her house burned down, but what matters most to her is what can’t be replaced. She wants to remind people of the importance of smoke alarms and getting out quickly in an emergency. James Pocock reports.

Meri Haapu’s 17-year-old son had arrived for a visit along with a few&