A man has suffered moderate burns to his legs in a garage fire on Mokoia Rd in Ngongotaha.
Fire and Emergency northern communications shift manager Colin Underwood said crews were called out to the fire at 4.15pm.
Three trucks battled the blaze, ensuring it did not spread to the house.
A St John Ambulance Service spokeswoman said the man who suffered burns to his legs was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Rotorua Hospital with moderate injuries.
A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she thought the noise was rain.
"I went outside and saw there was smoke everywhere and I saw these huge flames. I told my husband and he rang 111," she said.
"They did contain it to the garage."
Her husband said the garage was "well ablaze" by the time he called emergency services.
"It was quite a big fire. It's a big double garage," he said.
"The fire brigade have doused it down now but it was quite a large blaze, the garage is completely destroyed, there's nothing left."
The pair said they heard explosions caused by the heat.
Police also attended the incident.
The photo purportedly shows him scaling down from the eighth floor.