A 46-year-old man's body was pulled from the Peppertree Circuit home, which caught alight about 8.30pm, while a woman and a 13-year-old boy managed to escape with minor injuries. They were taken to hospital as a precaution.

Neighbours described seeing "ferocious" flames pouring out of the home and firefighters climbing an uphill battle to try and extinguish the blaze.

Neighbour Bill Newton said his step-daughter heard noises and he ran outside to see a woman screaming and "massive flames" engulfing the house.

"It was well alight," Mr Newton said. "It was fierce."

The blaze was so intense, fire crews were forced to battle the fire from outside the home before they could eventually make their way into the building.

"The water didn't seem to be making any difference," a neighbour said.

In other news: The city, shoes and a big Cosmo for SJP

"You see it on the news all the time, but you don't realise how ferocious it is until it's in front of you. It was shocking."

Mr Newton, who lost a home in a house fire a few decades ago, said it was devastating to see.

"You never think something like this would happen," he said. "And for someone to lose a life is just terrible."

Monique Hill lives a few streets away and was in tears when she heard what had happened and again when she saw the home the next morning.

In other news: Westbound queues 150 metres shorter: Transport for NSW

"I saw it on the news, I was just crying," she said.

"You put yourself in their shoes. I would have never thought of something happening like this in this area."

After firefighters extinguished the blaze, police established a crime scene.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire. Emergency services were at the scene again on Wednesday morning as part of their inquiries.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.