Emergency services were called to the fire just after 4pm on Monday. Photo / Supplied
A fire investigator and police are this morning returning to the scene of blaze at a Ngongotahā address.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand battled a blaze at a Ngongotahā address for about 40 minutes yesterday afternoon.
A Ngongotahā resident who did not want to be named said she became aware of the fire when she smelled smoke.
"I could smell it in the air," she told the Rotorua Daily Post.
"It was more than a bush sort of burn."
The resident said the fire affected left wing of the building and she could see the fire from her computer room window.
"There was a lot of thick smoke."
Fire and Emergency services received multiple calls to a fire at Te Manga Place in Ngongotahā at about 4.12pm.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said there were four appliances sent to the scene.
The fire was approximately 35m by 10m and described by the spokesperson as "well involved" when fire crews arrived at the scene.
The spokesperson said all occupants of the building were accounted for and no ambulance had been called.
A witness of the fire who wished to remain anonymous said occupants of the building were alerted to the fire by fire alarms.
"Everybody got out of the building safely," the witness said.
"Staff performed exceptionally to keep everybody safe. The fire service responded quickly."
A police spokeswoman said police were notified of the fire at about 4.30pm by Fire and Emergency services who initially assessed the fire as "suspicious".
Police were on site to help the fire investigator.
Fire crews stayed at Te Manga Place dampening hotspots and left about 6.30pm.
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