A building in Mount Maunganui central was damaged overnight after a rubbish fire nearby spread to one of the building's external walls.
The blaze broke out shortly after 2.30 am on Maunganui Rd, near Steeple Ln.
Five appliances attended the scene and quickly contained the fire.
Mount Maunganui resident Sheila Bouma was awake at 2.30am when she heard the crackling of the fire.
"It sounded like fire crackers going off," she said. "I happened to be awake and I could see the reflection of the flames on the ceiling."
So Bouma quickly phoned 111. "It was a bit scary," she said.
A fire communications spokesman said the fire was in a commercial area on Maunganui Rd, near Steeple Ln.
Three fire brigades from Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Greerton attended.
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