Fire crews are still at the scene of a fire which tore through a Taihape house in the early hours of Monday morning.
Crews were called to the house on Takahe Street at 5.30am.
Fire and Emergency communications shift manager Murray Dunbar said there were firefighters on standby at the moment to make sure it was fully extinguished.
He said the house was "severely damaged".
Fire crews from Taihape, Waiouru and Mangaweka were called to the scene.