House Fire on Barrack Street, Whanganui PHOTO STUART MUNRO
A house fire in Whanganui this afternoon led emergency services to cordon off a street.
Barrack St was cordoned off from Somme Parade to London Street.
Flames were seen by residents at the back of the house in Aramoho.
Tynan Hunter was driving past at 1pm when he noticed white smoke coming from the scene.
"I came around the corner and noticed a couple of fire trucks and a few people standing around."
"There was a lot of white smoke rather than the normal black smoke you would see."
No occupants of the building appeared to be outside the house.
"I didn't see anyone visibly upset, or in blankets, anything like that."
The house is an old wooden villa and was not badly damaged.
A Fire Service officer said the area was cordoned off because they were not sure what was burning.
The fire is now out.
There were three fire trucks at the scene but no ambulance.
A man working on the roof of a commercial building next door said he saw smoke, flames and heard windows breaking from the property at about 1.20pm.
The offenders are believed to be part of a wider crime spree after a Whanganui burglary.