"When I turned around there were three or four members of the public and a police officer carrying a lady out of a door in close proximity to the fire.
"Ambulance officers rushed to her aid. She was put in the back of the ambulance, which left the scene to take the woman to hospital. She appeared to be unconscious but I can't confirm that," he said.
The witness said the police officer and members of the public were "bloody heroes".
A St John spokeswoman said it was notified of the incident at 4.43am and sent three ambulance crews and two rapid response crews.
"We treated two patients, one is a serious condition and one in a moderate condition," she said, saying both patients were taken to Auckland City Hospital.
A northern fire communications spokesman said they were called to the scene just after 4.30am and found the building "well-involved".
By 5.30am, several fire trucks could be seen and a cordon had been put up.
A total of 11 fire trucks are working to contain the blaze.
The spokesman said everyone was accounted for and there was no danger to any other buildings nearby.
A crane was also brought in to help firefighters control the blaze.
