Photo / Brendan Manning
Eight people suffered smoke inhalation when their house went up in flames in Auckland this morning.
Emergency services were alerted to the fire in Glen Eden at 5.19am.
Karishma Naiker was in the house at the time and she was woken up just after 5am.
"My father-in-law, he heard something and then as soon as he walked out of the room he knocked on our door so we all got out of the house."
Mrs Naiker said her husband and her father-in-law tried to put the fire out themselves but failed.
"It just got too much so all of them just got out of the house."
Everyone in the house were taken to hospital with smoke inhalation but had since been discharged and were staying with family, she said.
She said it was emotional to walk back through the house after firefighters had finished dampening down hot spots.
"Nothing's there, not a single thing is there."
Mrs Naiker's sister-in-law Sheenal Naiker said neighbours told her they were woken by screaming and loud crackling.
"Everyone was out which was good," she said.
Neighbour Sandra Green said flames from the blaze rose above the treetops beside her house.
She said she became nervous when winds fanned the fire.
"There were a few bangs and explosions."
Northern fire communications shift manager Michelle Ruru said the house was well ablaze when firefighters arrived.
The fire was not deemed to be suspicious.
'He has disregarded our voice and continued with this divisive kaupapa.'