A man has died in a house fire on a rural property near Whakatane overnight.

Fire service shift manager Megan Ruru said two fire crews were called to the Te Rahu Rd address at Poroporo shortly after midnight.

A house was "well ablaze" when they arrived.

Ms Ruru said they were told there was a possibility someone was still inside the burning house.

"Shortly after they found one occupant, thought to be a male, in the lounge," she said.

Fire investigators and police would be returning to the property to determine the cause.

The owner of the farm where the fire took place said he was “too upset” at the moment to talk about it.

“The family [of the man] hasn’t actually been contacted,” he said.