Neighbours attempted to douse the flames of a house on fire in Flaxmere with garden hoses on Monday evening.
Emergency services were called to the scene of the fire in Tarbet Pl, Hastings, about 5.48pm on Monday.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) spokeswoman said the fire was located in a shed used as a sleepout alongside a house.
The spokeswoman said the structure fire was "well alight upon arrival" but eventually extinguished.