Two people injured in Far North house fire, cause under investigation

Three fire appliances responded to the fire in Tautoro. Photo / NZME

Two people were moderately injured in a house fire in Tautoro last night.

Fire and Emergency NZ responded to the fire, which was on Mangakahia Rd, 8km south of Kaikohe, around 7pm.

The house was already fully involved in fire and collapsing when crews arrived, Kaikohe fire chief Bill Hutchinson said.

Two males received moderate burns, Hutchinson said, and they were helped out of the home by another person before fire crews arrived.

"My understanding is some passersby saw the fire and helped get them out of the house," he said.

Three fire appliances attended the blaze, two from Kaikohe and a tanker from Kawakawa.

A St John spokesperson said one ambulance responded and two patients with moderate injuries were transported to Bay of Islands Hospital.

Fire investigator Gary Beer said the fire was under investigation, and there was no immediately obvious cause.

The person who rescued the pair from the burning house was a neighbour, he said, and the injured pair were father and son.

"I think the son attempted to remove his father and that's when he came out and the neighbour's shot in and just grabbed him."

Beer said it was important to have an escape plan in case of a fire and to ensure smoke alarms were working.

Fire and Emergency NZ have more safety advice available online, and offer home fire safety visits.