Residents of a semi-rural West Auckland road heard screaming coming from a house where police are investigating a sudden death.

A crime scene was set up on Simpson Rd in Rānui as police made inquiries into the death.

Emergency services responded to a report of the death about 7.50am on Tuesday, a police spokesman said.

Police were treating the death as unexplained as of midday today.

“A scene examination is … being conducted at the property and the public can expect to see an increased police presence in the area as part of our inquiries,” the spokesman said.

“At this stage, the circumstances around the death are being treated as unexplained and police are making inquiries into the circumstances.”

A woman living next door told the Herald her son heard screaming from nearby this morning. He ran to alert his mother, and the pair went outside to investigate. She said the screaming stopped, but she could hear a car running.