Boxing Day tragedy: One dead after house fire in Pukekohe, Auckland

A person has died after a home in Pukekohe, Auckland, went up in flames this evening.

A person has died after a home in Pukekohe, Auckland, went up in flames this evening.

Fire crews alongside a specialist command unit were called in to help extinguish the large blaze on Victoria St after multiple concerned calls just after 6pm.

Three fire trucks initially arrived on the scene, but crews called for backup upon arrival after seeing how large the fire was, the spokesperson said.

Another firetruck was called and 22 firefighters worked to extinguish the fire, which they were successful in doing so at 6.30pm.

“Crews deployed multiple hoses and crews with breathing apparatus to fight the fire,” the spokesperson said.

A police spokesperson confirmed a person died as a result of the fire.

The fire did not spread to any surrounding properties and firefighters are currently dampening any remaining hot spots.

Fire and police investigators are now on the scene, the spokesperson said.