A 62-year-old Te Puke man suffered burns to his arms and forehead when a vehicle burst into flames in Te Puke.

Te Puke Fire Brigade were called to the fire on Commerce Lane at about 9.50am.

This vehicle was completely destroyed by fire in Te Puke this morning.

Te Puke resident Olive Mitchell was sitting reading her book when she heard an 'almighty bang”.

'It made me jump out of my seat and I looked across and the vehicle was on fire.

'The flames were pretty fierce and a man tried to move it but he had to get out as it was already engulfed in flames.”

Northern Fire Communications shift manager Paul Radden says the car was well involved when the brigade arrived.

It was originally reported the car fire was endangering buildings, but this turned out not to be the case when Te Puke firefighters arrived.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.