ONE person died after DHL cargo plane crashes into house near Vilnius Airport in Lithuania, Reuters reports.

The plane crashed into a house from which 12 residents were safely evacuated, emergency services said.

The head of Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre said the cause of the crash was being investigated.

A DHL cargo plane crashed near Lithuania's Vilnius airport at about 5.30am, killing one person and injuring three others, airport, police and firefighter officials said.

Rescue services said the plane hit the ground and slid at least 100 metres before crashing into the building.

Firefighters were seen pouring water onto large smoke from a building 1.3 kilometres north of the airport runway.

"The city's special services are working at the scene and leading the rescue efforts, as well as crews from the Vilnius Airport Fire Service," said Vilnius Airport.