'Quite ferocious': Flames tower above trees as hundreds watch house blaze

A home in Palmerston North has been destroyed by fire this evening, with flames towering above trees and hundreds of onlookers observing the blaze.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand was alerted to the fire at a single-storey house on Kowhai Ave, Takaro, at 6.19pm.

Witness Samuel Sijm told the Herald flames could be seen shooting higher than surrounding trees.

He estimated a crowd of about 200 people had gathered on surrounding streets to watch.

A large fire engulfed a residential property on Kowhai Ave in Takaro, Palmerston North. Photo / Samuel Sijm Media

Onlookers gather along Kowhai Ave as firefighters battle a house fire in Palmerston North. Photo / Samuel Sijm Media

Footage posted to social media shows thick black smoke billowing above the residential street as firefighters tackle the flames from the roadside.

Another witness said they were watching their child’s football game nearby before the fire “really kicked off”.

“It was really quite intense,” they said.

“We could smell it. At the top of the grandstands, at the top of the field, [we] could see the flames above the houses and trees. It was really quite ferocious.”

They said they drove through the neighbourhood a short time later and noticed “a little bit of grey smoke whispering away”.

Firefighters respond to a blaze at a single-storey house on Kowhai Ave in Palmerston North. Photo / Samuel Sijm Media

A Fire and Emergency spokesperson told the Herald three fire crews attended the blaze.

The blaze has since been quelled, with no reported injuries or deaths, they said.

No further assistance has been requested.

Thick smoke from a house fire in Takaro could be seen from a nearby children's soccer game.

Thick black smoke rises from a house fire in Takaro, Palmerston North.