Firefighters were inundated with 111 calls just before 8.45pm on Sunday, after the blaze broke out at the property on Papanui Road.

Crews battled the fire for more than three hours before finally bringing it under control.

The family, along with their animals, managed to escape the burning house and no one was injured.

A neighbour described the heartbreaking contrast between a day of celebration and the scene that unfolded next door.

“While the whole world has been celebrating Mother’s Day, it has been a very sad evening for my neighbours, whose house caught fire last night,” the neighbour said.

“Thinking of the family during this difficult time and glad everyone is safe.”

Police were also called in to manage traffic in the area while emergency crews worked at the scene, a police spokesperson said.

There’s no word yet on how the fire started, but it’s thought an electrical fault could be to blame.