Firefighters battling Whangārei house fire

Fire crews are battling a blaze at a house on First Ave close to central Whangārei.

The road was closed for about 100 metres as four fire crews battled a blaze in an old villa.

Emergency staff at the scene said there was no one inside the house when firefighters arrived.

Fire crews at the scene of a house fire in First Avenue, central Whangārei. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The call came in around 12.15pm and within 10 minutes the first fire trucks from Whangārei station had arrived on the scene.

A thick plume of smoke can be seen from more than a kilometre away.

A large number of onlookers stood at cordons as firefighters brought the blaze under control.

By 12.50pm, the fire in the villa had been contained and fire crews shifted their efforts to protect neighbouring homes.

More details to come.