Fire guts Papamoa family home

A fire tore through a two-story Papamoa home, with flames visible from the road and smoke billowing down Dickson Rd.

Fire services were called at 2.26pm today but three fire appliances were present and firefighters were still hosing the smoking property at 3.35pm.

Readers reported seeing the smoke from as far away as the the Domain Rd/Tara Rd roundabout with one person claiming it was visible from Brookfield.

Papamoa resident James Smith was driving home along Papamoa Beach Rd when he saw a large plume of smoke in the air.

"It was very black smoke," he said.

When he arrived at the house there were 20 to 30 people on the road watching what was happening.

"It just started licking around the door of the garage and then it took hold.

"There were loud popping noises. I think it was the glass from the windows. It was quite a dramatic scene," he said.

The family of the home were sitting together on the grass of a property nearby.

The house looked completely gutted from the front, with the lower windows blown and cracks through the top story window.

The garage door and the front door of the house were destroyed. The majority of the outside of the house was discoloured from the fire.

Papamoa fire chief Allan Bicker said the property had a "fair bit of damage to it".

He said the family were out at the time.

Fire investigator Jon Rewi said everything inside the house had been completely destroyed.

He was yet to determine what caused the fire and would be returning to the scene tomorrow morning to continue the investigation.

Neighbour Kerran Te Kani said he was relieved no one was harmed.

A couple who lived across the street said they saw smoke and fire coming out through the windows of the house for about 15 minutes.