A photographer at the scene said enormous plumes of smoke covered the area with curious residents coming out of homes and on to the street in nightwear with children in tow to see what was happening.
The fire was still burning fiercely an hour after it started.
He said as well as a large number of firefighters at the scene the street was filled with a big police presence including dog handlers.
Two men and one woman, believed to be the occupants, went through a decontamination wash along with firefighters who had entered the burning home.
The wash is typically used for those who have been in contact with potentially dangerous, contaminated substances.
He said the home's occupants were stripped of their belongings and made to wear boiler suits. The men were both in day wear but the woman was still in a dressing gown.
Firefighters also changed into boiler suits and their gear was taken away for treatment.
This afternoon police confirmed there was not a clandestine lab in the house.
Fire investigators were now determining the cause of the blaze.