'Cries for help and screaming' from fire in West Auckland's New Lynn

Emergency services are responding to a fire in the West Auckland suburb of New Lynn.

Fire and Emergency received a callout at 6.58pm and have since put the fire out.

A spokesperson said crews found a caravan "well involved" in the fire.

A witness described hearing "cries for help and screaming" from a property off Portage Rd.

"The flames were licking the top of the house and a red haze was visible above the burning property," they told the Herald.

The witness, who is aged 11, said she burst into tears, worried about the screaming and fearing for the fate of the property's occupants.

The witness saw the blaze at about 7.20pm while dancing at the nearby Auckland Academy of Dance. She could hear dogs barking and someone calling out "fire!"