Nowra house fire sends eight people fleeing to safety

Emergency services were called to the Bridge Road home at 1.29pm, with reports flames and smoke could be seen under the house, which is raised on stumps.

The property has been converted into a business, and eight employees were evacuated.

Read more: Currarong construction site incident under investigation

"Smoke and fire was coming out from beneath the house," Fire and Rescue NSW Shoalhaven Station Officer Ian Walters said.

"There was a reasonable amount of smoke coming out from under the house."

The cause of the blaze was due to an electrical fault from a hot water system under the house, with sparks igniting leaf litter that had blown into the area.

"The good thing was it happened during the day and it's not a residence. The damage would have been much more extensive if it had of happened at night," Station Officer Walters said.

Read more: 15 transition beds being opened in the Shoalhaven, 20 in the Illawarra

The property had a working smoke alarm which sounded when the fire erupted.

The Nowra fire comes a day after an elderly couple in Sydney's southwest died after their home was engulfed in flames.

By law homes must have a smoke alarm on every level of the property where people sleep.

Australian Standard smoke alarms should be used, and Station Officer Walters urged people to replace the battery every year and the alarm every 10 years.