Residents escape from burning Northland home

Smoke from a house fire at Maungatapere covered SH14. PHOTO/John Stone

At least three people got out of a Northland home safely after a fire that started in the downstairs garage destroyed the home.

The alarm was raised just before 10am today and thick smoke billowed from the two-storied home in Beverly Cr at Maungatapere, across State Highway 14.

Fire investigators at the scene said they were still trying to establish how the fire started and just how many people had been in the house at the time but confirmed those in the house, at least three, got out quickly.

Firefighters from Whangarei, Hikurangi and Onerahi were at the house along with a water tanker from Marsden Point oil refinery.