A large blaze has broken out at a central Auckland city property this morning, with roughly twenty firefighters responding to the incident.

Plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing across the central city skyline as fire crews work to extinguish the flames.

A two-storey house on Maungawhau Road in Epsom was on fire this morning.

Local residents nearby have been forced to evacuate onto the street as fire crews get the blaze under control.

Local residents nearby have been forced to evacuate onto the street as fire crews get the blaze under control. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Immediate neighbours of the house said their property fence had also been damaged by the flames and didn’t know if it had reached their house.

“It was terrifying,” they said

“We have one elderly person who couldn’t walk in our house, so we just rushed out in our car.”

Senior Station Officer Collin Wright said when the two fire crews initially arrived the blaze at the rear end of the property was well-involved at the two storey old house on Maungawhau Rd.

“There were flames from either side going to neighbouring properties.”

Wright said the owner of the property told him all occupants were out safe and that the fire seemed to have started in the laundry area.

Fire and Emergency North’s shift manager, Josh Pennefather has confirmed that twenty firefighters were engaged in active firefighting at Epsom fire.

Five appliances were called to the scene just before 10.30am.

”We’re keen to extinguish it quickly,” said Pennefather.

The immediate neighbours said the property that went ablaze was an Air BnB. Photo / Jason Oxenham

A fire investigator has been called to the scene, but FENZ’s priority at this stage is just to put the fire out.

Flames and smoke have continued to rise from the property in question half an hour after emergency services arrived, smoke be seen as far afield as the North Shore.

Neighbours on the street watching told NZME their house was also affected - they were worried about the damage.

One man said he raced to the street from Mt Roskill after getting a call from his sister, thinking their Nana’s house was the one burning - he’s confirmed it wasn’t and everyone is ok, though he looked visibly shaken.

Police confirmed they were attending the incident alongside Fire and Emergency and were on the scene assisting with traffic diversions.

A nearby Newmarket resident says he can hear the continuous sound of sirens in the area.

Plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing across the central city skyline. Photo / Supplied

Fire at Maungwhau Rd, Epsom. Photo / Akshay Gupta