One dead after house fire near Tauranga

Neighbours alerted to the fire by loud noises were unable to get into the house. Photo / Supplied

A person is dead after a house fire in the Western Bay of Plenty town of Omokoroa overnight.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Paul Radden said a body was found in the house in Bramley Drive early this morning.

Radden said the house was well alight when brigades arrived shortly after 4.30am.

Firefighters from Tauranga, Greerton and Katikati battled the blaze.

"I can confirm, sadly, there has been a fatality in the house fire. This is very tragic."

The house was well alight when firefighters arrived. Photo / John Borren

A corner section of the two-storey house was completely burned out and the remaining windows badly cracked.

Neighbours said the fire appeared to have started in the kitchen area on the ground floor.

They said banging, crashing and popping noises woke them as the blaze ignited.

Fire and emergency crews attended from Tauranga, Greerton and Katikati. Photo / Supplied

By the time the neighbours realised it was a fire and called emergency services, it was too late to get into the house.