Pair hurt battling big blaze

Two firefighters suffered injuries likely to keep them off work for days while battling a "wall of fire" at a Wanganui house.

Fire crews were called to Kaitoke about 5.40pm on New Year's Eve, Wanganui Station Officer Jes Sorensen said.

"We received a call that it was a garage fire but, when we arrived, it was a wall of fire," he said.

The two men were injured battling the blaze. They were taken to hospital but not admitted, and both would be off work for a couple of weeks, Mr Sorensen said.

One suffered blistered knuckles and the other suffered radiation burns through his boot.

The firefighters were able to save part of the two-storey 350sq m house, which was "well involved" when the two fire trucks and a tanker arrived at the scene. They had just enough water to fight the fire, which took 30 minutes to control. The firefighters stayed at the scene until midnight to dampen down any hotspots.

Mr Sorensen said investigations were continuing but it was believed the fire started with an appliance in a garage attached to the house.