Wellington fire fighters raced to an early morning blaze after an outbuilding threatened to go up in flames.

Both engines were deployed from the station in the early hours of Tuesday morning after a fire started in an outhouse office.

The fire service said the incident could have escalated, but was helped to be contained by the owner's smoke alarms which alerted the household to the emergency.

Fire fighters assessed the scene and believe the fire started after spreading from a fireplace to ceiling insulation.

Tackling the fire they dismantled part of the ceiling using small tools, and deployed a hose reel jet to damped the fire.

In a statement posted to social media a spokesperson for the fire department said: "In the early hours of this morning both pumps were called to attend a fire in an out-building/office in a garden.

"The incident could have escalated if left but thankfully the owner had working smoke alarms which alerted the family in the house.

"Crews had to expose the fire within the roof and walls using BA, small tools and a hose reel jet. The cause was thought to be from the fire place spreading to insulation."