A New Year's morning blaze that gutted a two-storey Christchurch home was a "scary" early morning wake-up call.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (Fenz) received multiple calls about a house being ablaze on Portsmouth St in the suburb of Aranui around 4.40am.
There were initially reports someone was inside the house but a search by first fire crews on the scene found that to be incorrect, Fenz spokesman Brent Dunn said.
Four fire crews attended to control the blaze and some crews are still at the scene.
A fire investigator has also arrived to determine how the blaze started.
Police are also at the scene this morning.
The house has been extensively damaged.
A neighbour was woken in the middle of the night to the terrifying blaze.
"It was very scary, especially when you're fast asleep," she said.
There was lots of yelling, she said, and thought it was a rowdy New Year's Eve party before realising it was people escaping the fire.
