Couple narrowly escape house fire

The remains of a bed destroyed by fire overnight. Photo/Melanie Camoin

A couple had a lucky escape as fire engulfed the bed they had been sleeping before spreading through their Waihi home overnight.

Volunteer firefighters were called to the Parry Palm Ave house at 11pm yesterday.

"We are not sure what might have caused the fire at this stage but it started in the bedroom; the bed was surrounded by fire when we arrived," Waihi fire chief Moe Stevens said.

One of the neighbour was alerted by the blaze and called 111.

The fire caused damage to the house up to the roof and burnt the front of a campervan parked nearby the house.

Technicians are on-site this morning to check the extend of the damages.

Mr Stevens said there were two smoke alarms installed in the house that were already burnt when the emergencies arrived.

"I imagine they might have been old (ionised) smoke alarms which take around seven minutes to go off - not those modern ones which are triggered instantly."

The couple were not seriously injured.