UPDATE: Two residents and their dogs have escaped a major blaze at their West Wodonga home, with the three-storey property suffering extensive damage.
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Despite one of the owners attempting to extinguish Friday morning's fire with a garden hose, flames engulfed the Brewer Drive house.
Firefighters were called about 8.30am on April 12.
Neighbour Phil Thompson noticed smoke and rushed to assist the couple, but said the fire had already taken hold.
"I think it started downstairs, the whole bottom floor in the back corner was engulfed when I walked up there," he said.
"Then it exploded, it went straight up just before the firies arrived.
"The windows started exploding with the heat.
"Everyone just peeled back away from it."
Smoke was visible from several kilometres away as about 40 firefighters tackled the fire while the couple watched on.
One of the residents had been inside the house and the other outside when the flames took hold, with both escaping without injury.
Their two small dogs also escaped and while the couple weren't hurt, neighbours said they were shocked.
"I'm devastated for them," Mr Thompson said.
"It's such a beautiful house.
"It's an icon of this area.
"The house just had a whole lot of freshening up work done on the timber."
The cause of the fire is being investigated but there appears to be no signs of foul play.
The three-storey home will have to be examined to determine if it is unlivable, but parts have extensive damage.
"A very quick response by Fire Rescue Victoria and CFA saw that fire contained to the garage and some extension to the second storey and into the third roof space as well," Wodonga West CFA firefighter Ross Coyle said.
"The damage to the house is extensive to the garage area and the bedroom above, and then into the roof space above that.
"The fire travelled in an upwards direction through the three storeys.
"It was some very solid work to prevent that extending through either of those spaces or the rest of the house."
Mr Coyle said the house had been heavily smoke logged.
Mr Coyle said in the lead up to winter, it was important for people to check their heater systems.
He said firefighters were seeing more fires sparked by charging batteries left in areas where they could set fire to homes.
EARLIER: Firefighters are tackling a house fire in west Wodonga on Friday morning, April 12.
Fire crews were called to the Brewer Drive home shortly before 8.30am, with police and paramedics also arriving at the scene.
A large amount of smoke can be seen coming from the spacious, multi-storey house on the residential street.
Neighbours are watching on and the residents appear to be outside the premises, talking to firefighters.
In other police news, officers are investigating a fatal crash at Taminick on Thursday, April 11 involving a vehicle towing a horse float.
Inquiries also continue into a break-in at Tallangatta Secondary College this week.
