An elderly woman pulled unconscious from a burning house last night has died in hospital.

A Whanganui District Health Board spokeswoman confirmed this afternoon the woman, in her 70s, had died.

It’s understood the woman was the first person to call 111 when she discovered a fire in her house, Wanganui Fire Service area commander Bernie Rush said.

Two firefighters carried the woman out of the burning building, and she was revived at the scene before being taken to Whanganui Hospital, where she is currently in the intensive care unit.

Firefighters received the call at 9.30pm to the fire on Heads Road, near the hospital. When they arrived, the house was already ablaze.

"The first arriving firefighters began a search immediately and they located the lady not breathing and unresponsive," Mr Rush said.

"They got her out and performed CPR and got her breathing again."

One firefighter went to hospital and was treated for muscle strain, but was released in an hour.