UPDATED 9.15AM: Firefighters have now extinguished a single-storey house fire on Otumoetai Road.

A reporter at the scene says while there are no flames there's still plenty of smoke after firefighters extinguished the house fire near the Bellevue Road roundabout shortly before 9.15am

'The house looks completely gutted. Firefighters are now inside looking around and pulling stuff out.”

At this stage there is no indication of what caused the house fire.

The house which went up in flames this morning is situated next door to the Otumoetai Plunket Clinic.

A spokesperson for Plunket Bay of Plenty says staff had been running clinics with parents and their children at the time of the fire.

'We evacuated as soon as the fire broke out and there were no issues in this regard. We will not go back in until the fire service give us the okay.”

UPDATED 9AM:

Firefighters are currently battling a house fire in Otumoetai which is sending up big thick black plumes of smoke into the air.

The smoke can be seen from the Tauranga CBD.

Northern Fire Communications shift manager Jarron Phillips says three appliances from the Greerton and Tauranga stations have been dispatched to the fire on Otumoetai Road near the Belleveue Road.

'We have received multiple calls from the public to alert us and our crews have just arrived at the scene. It appears the house is well involved in fire.”

A caller to the 0800 SUNLIVE news hotline who drove past the scene as fire crews were arriving believes it'll be very lucky if there's anything left of the house.

'I couldn't see any flames, just this very black, very thick smoke that was just everywhere.”

EARLIER:

Firefighters are responding to a house fire in Otumoetai.

A caller to the 0800 SUNLIVE news hotline says it appears to be well involved.

We will bring you more information soon.

At the scene?

Call 0800 SUNLIVE or email photos to [email protected]