Ms Daniels had screamed to her mum and dad, who were in another room, that the house was on fire and everyone had escaped safely. By that time smoke alarms were screeching.
The family believes the fire started in a cupboard in Ms Daniels' bedroom where she was sleeping with her 7-year-old daughter.
Whangarei Senior Station Officer Corey Matchitt said the cause of the fire was being investigated.
Ms Daniels' mother, Pam Disalveo-Katsotis, said they had lost everything to smoke damage in the four-bedroom house, including her car which had been "completely melted".
She said she was talking to her insurance company to see what could be covered but sentimental items would be irreplaceable.
"We've lost all my husband's photos from when he was in Greece as a Navy boy and there were photos of his kids.
"But we're alive and nothing else matters," she said.
The fire was the second serious blaze in 24 hours in Northland. On Wednesday at 4.30pm a blaze gutted a Dargaville home.
Fire investigator Terry Baylis said he believed the fire was started by an electrical fault in the garage.
"The lady has come home opened the roller door of the garage, saw smoke, and all that fresh oxygen set it off and the house was fully involved in fire."
Mr Baylis said the house had working smoking alarms which would have been key in saving lives if anyone was home.
With clocks going forward an hour this Sunday for daylight saving Mr Baylis said it was a good reminder for people to change the batteries in their smoke alarms, check they worked, buy smoke alarms and create escape plans.
"Buying a smoke alarm is much cheaper than a funeral director's fee," Mr Baylis said.
