Fire destroys Dunedin flats

Four fire trucks and 16 firefighters were called to the scene. Photo / File

Four people managed to escape a fire that completely destroyed their homes in Dunedin overnight.

Four fire trucks and 16 firefighters were called to the scene of the house fire on Cutten St, in south Dunedin, about 12.40am, southern fire communications shift manager Andrew Norris said.

Mr Norris said when fire services arrived they found the house was two flats.

"The fire had spread from the front flat to the back flat, and they were both well involved in fire when we got there."

Luckily, the tenants from the front flat were awake, and they managed to escape from their home and alert the tenants at the back flat.

All four tenants from the two flats managed to escape the blaze uninjured, Mr Norris said.

"The fire fighters have indicated that there were no working smoke alarms, and had the people been asleep at the time, they are sure the outcome would have been far different to what it was."

Mr Norris said both flats had been "extensively damaged" and would likely be demolished later today, as "the damage was so severe".

He said the fire was not being treated as suspicious.