House 'extensively damaged' in Fordlands fire

Police at the scene of a house fire in Fordlands this morning. Photo / Andrew Warner.

A lounge and bedroom have caught fire at a Fordland's property.

Fire crews were called to the scene on Waterlow St about 10.45pm, a Fire and Emergency NZ spokeswoman said.

Rotorua Fire Station's senior station officer Tony Kelly said they found two rooms well-involved in fire on arrival and worked for 25 minutes to extinguish the flames.

He said the house was "extensively damaged" but luckily the people who lived there were staying elsewhere for the night.

The fire had initially been deemed suspicious, he said, which was the case often when no one was at a property.

He said a fire investigator and police had been sent to the scene.

House fire on Waterlow St in Fordlands. Photo / Andrew Warner.

Police staff were at the scene this morning and caution tape was surrounding the property.

A police spokeswoman said they were working with Fire and Emergency NZ to establish the cause of the fire however it was not being treated as suspicious.