Police have released the name of a person who died in a house fire in Whitianga.

Emergency services were alerted to the fire in Cholmondeley Cres about 5.20pm on Sunday and a person was found dead inside the building, says police.

In a statement released this today, police have confirmed that the body of 47-year-old Duane Whiteman of Whitianga was recovered from the scene.

“The death has been referred to the Coroner.

“Police continue to work with fire investigators to determine the cause of the fire.”

Bruce Ferguson, a neighbouring resident, describes the moment he saw the fatal fire.

He says he smelt burning plastic before rushing outside to see emergency services at a scene filled with black smoke.

Bruce says he was looking around his house to try and find out where the smell was coming from before discovering the scene of the fire across the road.

“We were just inside, and I could smell burning plastic, and I was looking around the house to try and find out what it was, and I came out the front, and there were two fire trucks and an ambulance.

“It was just black smoke coming out.”

Bruce says he didn’t know the residents at the address.

-Additional reporting by Al Williams/NZME.