Baby in a critical condition following house fire

A baby is in a critical condition following a house fire in Mount Wellington this morning.

Emergency services were called to the house in Malone Road Mount Wellington just after 8am and found it "well ablaze".

Ambulance staff were treating the baby who has been removed from the address and is reported to be in a critical condition with burns.

Malone road has been closed due to heavy smoke in the area causing reduced visibility.

A neighbour tried to beat back flames with a garden hose as fire ripped through a house in Auckland this morning.

Fakaola Uilou was sleeping in the house next door when the fire erupted and rushed to help.

"It was really frightening and it all happened so fast," he said. "The first thing I did was make sure everyone got out of our place first then went to help the neighbours.

"Two guys had arrived and dragged a man out the house and he didn't look too good.

"There was thick black smoke and flames and I managed to get my garden hose going to get some water in there to see if would help until the fire engines got there."

Police and firefighters assess the damage. Photo / Daniel Hines

It is believed three adults and four children were at the blazing house, including a two year old who was rescued and taken to Middlemore Hospital in a serious condition.

"I was scared my whole family was going to get caught up in it too and we would due, and I really just felt like crying for my neighbours," Uilou added. "Two women had got three kids out of there but they were screaming that one was still inside."

Fire service area commander Mike Shaw said a two year old boy was given CPR at the scene before being taken to hospital.

He said it was too early to speculate as to the cause of the fire.