Auckland residents woke to the sound of crackling and glass shattering as a local doctor's surgery was engulfed in flames this morning.

More than 40 fire fighters were required to bring a major fire at Four Kauri Medical Centre on New North Rd, Mt Albert under control after they were notified about 7.30am.

A witness who lives right next door to the clinic said her family was woken by the blaze.

"We were all sleeping because we are not going to work until this afternoon and suddenly my son woke up and said, 'Call the fire, call the police'.

"We heard the alarm and we heard the crackling and crashing and shattering of glass.

"We saw the whole house go up [in flames]."

The witness said smoke was billowing from the property.

"It was oozing out of all the eaves and the roof, there were flames there, too.

"The flames were sky high and there are so many trees and greenery that we were worried it would reach our house as well."