Firefighters were called to a house fire in Dannevirke in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Luckily the four occupants of the home were alerted to the fire in the kitchen by a smoke alarm, and were able to evacuate safely.
Two males were taken to Palmerston North Hospital and treated for smoke inhalation, and were discharged yesterday.
Police said the fire was not being treated as suspicious, and the Dannevirke community have swung in behind the family with donations of household goods and clothing after losing everything in the fire.
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Two locals were recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List announced yesterday.
Waipukurau-born Hinewehi Mohi has become a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to Māori, music and television.
The 57-year-old has been a part of New Zealand's music industry since the 1990s and is well-known for her performance of the national anthem in Māori at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Twickenham.
Mohi is also an award-winning television and music producer.
The other local recipient is Dannevirke’s Neville Jacobsen.
Mr Jacobsen spent almost 60 years in the town’s volunteer fire brigade, and was awarded a Queen’s Service medal in honour of his services to Fire and Emergency.
Now serving as the Dannevirke brigades Support Officer, Mr Jacobsen has also been a St John volunteer, involved in search and rescue, and a civil defence and red cross volunteer.
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State Highway 2 was closed north of Otane on Saturday after visibility issues from fog and a burning fire caused issues for drivers.
Police shut the road at around 9.30am after smoke from a suspected burnoff was causing "significant visibility issues".
Emergency services were called to a two-vehicle crash in the area, and diverted Northbound traffic onto Higginson St and southbound traffic along Te Aute Trust Rd for about two hours.
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In weekend sports, only the Dannevirke Seniors rugby team had a game in the Manawatu competition.
They played Kia Toa and won 43-14.
