They called for more resources, with five fire trucks and two ladder trucks eventually attending.
The fire was contained to the house and was extinguished around 6am.
There were no reports of injuries, Pennefather said. Two fire investigators are at the scene of the blaze, which is being treated as suspicious.
A Fenz incident report site shows crews from Takapuna, Albany, Birkenhead, East Coast Bays, Auckland City and Te Atatū were called to the fire. Conditions this morning were windy.
‘Send everything you’ve got’
A local man who reported the fire said he noticed a “tonne of smoke” while arriving at the gym on Target Rd, initially thinking it was fog.