A fire at a Duncan St house is being investigated by Dunedin firefighters.
The Willowbank and Dunedin city stations were called to the fire about noon on Thursday.
City Station Officer Howard Weir said it was thought to be a house fire, but firefighters discovered it was a pile of burning rubbish at the back of the house.
''There was a lot of black smoke and fortunately the neighbours saw it and intervened with garden hoses.
''They managed to dampen things down before it really took hold,'' Mr Weir said.
Weatherboards on the corner of the inner-city house were scorched but otherwise there was no damage to the building.
The occupants were not at home, Mr Weir said.
The fire was being investigated, he said.
