House on fire in Welcome Bay

Emergency services at the scene of a house fire in Welcome Bay. Photo/George Novak

10.15am: Tauranga firefighters are commending the actions of a passer by who helped save an elderly man from danger after noticing his house on fire.

Firefighters were called to the house on Welcome Bay Rd about 9.50am.

Station officer Len Sabin told the Bay of Plenty Times the passer by noticed the burning home and ran inside.

The passer by then found a garden hose and used it to extinguish the fire before it could spread any further, he said.

An elderly man who was inside the house had no idea it had caught fire, Mr Sabin said.

St John ambulance staff were called to the incident but it is understood no one was hurt.

Mr Sabin said early indications suggested the fire started in the home's sunroom after inappropriate disposal of ashes.

A reporter at the scene said there was a still strong smell of smoke in the air.

Earlier: Firefighters are heading to reports of an elderly man trapped inside a burning house in Welcome Bay.

It is understood the man is believed to be inside a house on fire on Welcome Bay Rd near Arawata Ave. Firefighters are responding to the incident, which was called in about 9.50am.

More soon.