A man has left a burning house in North Albury after flames exploded from a rear shed at the Mate Street home.
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Neighbours came rushing out of their homes after hearing the explosion to see flames billowing into the night sky just after 6pm.
Nearby resident Ross Quigley said he heard a sound like a car backfiring, followed by a huge explosion two minutes later.
He went onto the property as a man escaped without injuries.
The force of the explosion blew all the garage doors forward.
"It was a massive bang, as loud as lightning in the backyard," he said.
"We saw an orange glow through the back windows of the house.
"We raced outside to make sure the people were okay in the house."
He said the noise was so loud, it sounded like a tree had fallen on his roof.
"The old bloke seemed a bit scared," Mr Quigley said.
"He just got in his car as quickly as he could.
"It looks like the whole garage exploded.
"It shook our entire house."
Mr Quigley said distressed neighbours had gathered out the front of the home in tears.
Police, SES, firefighters and ambulance crews are on scene with part of the main road blocked off to traffic.
NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Stewart Alexander said the occupant of the house was evacuated, but not injured in the incident.
"We received multiple triple zero calls at 6.10pm this evening," he said.
"We initially thought it was a house alight, but it's turned out to be a large shed in the rear yard of his house."
Firefighters switched off the power and quickly got the fire under control.
"Unfortunately the contents of his shed have been totally destroyed by fire," Mr Alexander said.
He said the cause of the fire was not know yet.
Fire and Rescue NSW has warned people to exercise caution in the area of Mate Street, near Wantagong Street.
