One person suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation when a fire broke out in a two storey block of units near the Tauranga CBD.

Firefighters received multiple calls to the fire, which was on the corner of Chapel and Brown streets just after 6.30pm.

When crews arrived at the scene, the house was completely engulfed in flames.

Northern Fire Service communications manager Colin Underdown says firefighters were still at the scene around 7.15pm, checking the building and dampening down hot spots.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The blaze could be seen clearly from the road as flames tore through the property.