“The house was well involved, with flames coming out of the roof area, and out of the windows when the first crew arrived,” a senior firefighter said.
“Everyone had got out, a family of four, a woman and three children.
“It appears the fire started in the lounge, though we are not 100% sure of that at this stage,” he said.
“The home has been extensively damaged and it has been a major loss for the family living there.”
The fire threatened a neighbouring house.
“We were able to cut it off before the other property was badly affected.
“Some of the exterior cladding on the house next door had started to smoulder, but it was contained before it could take hold.”
Firefighters were at the scene for a few hours.
St John Ambulance also had personnel there.
“One person was treated at the scene for minor injuries,” an ambulance spokesman said.
“But they did not need to go to hospital.”
The senior firefighter said the cause of the fire was not being treated as suspicious but was being investigated.
During Saturday’s fire in Lytton, the occupants were not home but three dogs were killed.
Trudi Hicklin, Fire and Emergency NZ community risk manager for Tairāwhiti, said a crew arrived to find the house “well involved in fire”.
It was described as 100% fire-damaged and its cause is also being investigated.
