Firefighters used water pumped from the ocean to fight an overnight blaze at a house in a remote North Island coastal community.
Fire Service central communications shift manager Craig Dally said a two-storey home in Ngawi near Cape Palliser was completely destroyed after fire broke out at 12.20pm.
Firefighters used water from the ocean as well as a tanker from Carterton to douse the flames.
He said the home was engulfed by fire when crews arrived and could not be saved.
Four fire crews remained at the property dampening down flare-ups.
