Firefighters rushed to a two-storey house on Maungawhau Road in Epsom Tuesday morning. Video / Carson Bluck
Residents of a central Auckland street remain evacuated after a large blaze engulfed the rear of a house threatening two other neighbouring properties this morning.
Five fire trucks and three police cars were attending the scene on Maungawhau Rd in Epsom.
Senior Station Officer Collin Wright arrived first on an Avondale appliance, he said the rear end of the property was well alight with flames reaching neighbouring houses on either side.
“The fire was very well-involved when we arrived. It is an old house so it spread very quickly. This also highlights the importance of making sure that we are all aware of evacuating out of the property and ensure we have got working smoke alarms.”
Senior Station Officer Collin Wright at the scene of a large house fire on Maungawhau Rd, Epsom, Auckland. Photo / NZME
The fire had taken over the rear end of the two-storey old wooden villa and was spreading to other areas, Wright said.
“We were able to contain the fire or start extinguishing it internally and then also at the same time working on both the exposed houses on either side.
“The main occupant met me when we arrived and confirmed that everyone was out, which was our first priority.”
Fire at a property in Epsom, Auckland. Photo / Supplied
Wright said at this stage the firefighters were at dampening down stage.
“Two fire trucks responded to the event initially. I prioritised to have a third appliance on the way and then we called for another two after transmitting a second alarm.”
No one had been injured, Wright said.
“Two of our firefighters did extremely well to actually extinguish and stop the spread of the fire. They haven’t been injured but the exposure from where they were working was right at the limit of what we can really do but they did a great job.”
Local residents nearby have been forced to evacuate onto the street as fire crews get the blaze under control. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Wright said the owner/occupant of the house appeared to think that the fire had originated from the laundry area but they had a fire investigator on the way to determine the actual cause and location.
The house was too damaged, and covered in toxic smoke, Wright said.
“In addition to the trucks that we have got here, we have got a second unit to decontaminate our firefighters.”
Roughly 20 firefighters were at the site of the suburban fire.
Plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing across the central city skyline as fire crews worked to extinguish the flames.
Immediate neighbours of the house said their property fence had also been damaged by the flames and didn’t know if it had reached their house.
“We have one elderly person who couldn’t walk in our house, so we just rushed out in our car.”
Antony Vlatkovich’s parents live next door to the green coloured house which caught ablaze this morning.
“I got a call around 10.40am from my sister who lives in the house across the street. My nana and parents live on either side of the house where the fire occurred.
“I live in Mt Roskill so I rushed here. I was worried. I saw all the smoke. I actually thought it was our house.
“It is a quiet street, nothing like this has ever happened before.”
Antony Vlatkovich rushed from Mt Roskill to check on his parents who live next to the property well-engulfed in flames on Maungawhau Rd, Epsom, Auckland. Photo / NZME
Fire and Emergency North’s shift manager, Josh Pennefather, has confirmed that 20 firefighters were engaged in active firefighting at the Epsom fire.
Five appliances were called to the scene just before 10.30am.
Smoke visible from North Shore
”We’re keen to extinguish it quickly,” said Pennefather.
A fire investigator has been called to the scene, but FENZ’s priority at this stage is just to put the fire out.
Flames and smoke have continued to rise from the property in question half an hour after emergency services arrived, smoke be seen as far afield as the North Shore.
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