A woman who works with the disabled community has been left shocked after her car was targeted by arsonists in Auckland.

Deb Manual was asleep when an explosion woke her up. When she went outside to check, she saw someone had set her car, which was parked on the street, on fire.

"I was quite shocked, you don't expect to see your car on fire every day," Manual told the Herald.

"I was grateful the house did not catch fire because the hedge was also burning, my car had exploded because I had filled up the tank the night before."

A neighbour who saw the car on fire feared the whole street would go up in flames. Photo / Peter Collins

Manual was staying the night with her son's partner's family in Ponsonby on Tuesday, and the incident happened around 5.30am on Wednesday.

"We went outside and saw my car up in flames.

"I work in a caregiving role, the car is my ability to get to work and in my line of work it is very important."

She did not have car insurance, Manual said.

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"I am thankful to the community of Ponsonby who are helping me."

Manual said police had looked at the CCTV footage and identified a couple of young suspects.

"The footage shows a couple of young people who could be behind the fire, I just think they were bored, they need to be found because they need help and guidance so no one else's house or car catches fire overnight."

A car parked off-street in Ponsonby was set ablaze in early hours of Wednesday morning. Photo / Peter Collins

Neighbour Peter Collins was making breakfast at 5.30am on Wednesday when he saw huge flames outside the window and could smell smoke.

"It was next door, someone had set a car on fire," Collins said.

"The flames were so close to my neighbour's house and if that house caught fire the whole street would too."

Collins rushed to his phone and called emergency services.

"It was very scary the car was parked so close to the house.

"When the fire engine arrived and put water over the fire to put it off, petrol went all over the street and the whole street was in flames."

A neighbour said he saw two people in the security footage who looked suspicious minutes before the incident. Photo / Peter Collins

After coming back Collins checked his CCTV camera footage and found two people running away from the scene.

"They just walked past and did not come back. I have sent all videos and screengrabs to Police. It is just a shocking event," he said.

Collins said the car belonged to a middle-aged woman who was visiting a neighbour.

"It is sad she was here for a visit and works for the disabled community, I posted on the community page so everyone can help her, she has no insurance."

A community member has started a givealittle page to help the woman pay for a replacement car.

The page has raised $1290 so far.

Fire and emergency services attended the scene at 5.42am.

A police spokesperson had said they were investigating an alleged arson in Grey Lynn on Wednesday morning.

"Police responded to reports of the fire around 5.42am on Wednesday.

"At this stage inquiries are ongoing and no arrests have been made."

Anyone with footage or information was asked to contact police via the *105 phone service or online at https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.