Karl Urban Hailed a Hero for Saving Auckland Neighbours From House Fire

Karl Urban has turned from a reel hero to a real-life hero. The Kiwi actor saved his neighbours from a house fire, but dismissed his role as anything but extraordinary.

In an interview with The Diary, the 42-year-old actor recalled seeing black smoke rising from the house at the end of the road on Monday. When he raced to the burning home, he checked out if anyone was inside.

"I found a woman trying to save her cats. Her bedroom was on fire and there was a layer of smoke that was rapidly filling up the house," the "Star Trek" star recalled. "She told me she had a fire extinguisher, so I grabbed it and gave it a crack. Thankfully it did the job. Then the neighbours helped with their garden hoses."

He claimed that his actions weren't heroic, but just instinctive. His neighbours Neville Shaw and Claire Morris begged to differ. Shaw said Urban saved his house and his life.

"Karl was banging on the door like crazy, saying 'Fire!' We weren't entertaining friends and didn't realise a fire had started in the bedroom. The fire investigation later said it was the result of a faulty extension lead," Shaw told the paper, adding that they had no idea because they couldn't hear the smoke alarm from the room.

Fortunately, Urban's swift action prevented any structural damage to their house. Their other neighbours also helped, following Urban's lead.

"He's a great guy. He came over on Tuesday to make sure Claire and I were okay. He's our hero," his grateful neighbour praised the humble actor, who downplayed his role. Urban insisted that anybody who saw the smoke would have done the same thing.

The incident made Urban more vigilant of fire safety, though. He said that before, he had never really thought about the dangers of a house fire. Now, he has made sure that his fire alarms are working and he has enough fire extinguishers in his home.

Urban's Herne Bay, Westmere home in Auckland has increased in value, from $5.4 million to $5.9. The figure, as reported by Stuff, is based on Auckland Council's recent valuation.