Firefighters battle blaze for three hours

A rural property was "gutted" after it was engulfed by a large fire yesterday afternoon.

Firefighters spent more than three hours battling the blaze which took hold of a large shed and attached accommodation area on Wilson Rd North in Paengaroa.

Fire communications shift manager Karl Patterson said the shed suffered "extensive damage" in the fire and was "well ablaze'' when firefighters arrived about 3.40pm.

"A report came through of a shed fire so we sent Maketu along to investigate and when they arrived at the property there was a fire and the shed was well ablaze.''

"They immediately got to work and began to put it out. The area of the shed measured about 20 metres by 15 metres.''

Another fire truck and volunteer crew from Maketu was called, as well as a truck and a water tanker from Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade. A crew from Pukehina Volunteer Fire Brigade were also called to attend.

A digger was called to the site and was used to remove part of the roof to help firefighters access and dampen down hot spots.

Maketu Volunteer Fire Brigade deputy chief fire officer Eric Ashe said there was a chance the roof would collapse so fire crews could not go inside until the digger had removed the roof.

Four crews had to use breathing apparatus while fighting the fire, he said.

"At the end of it [the property] was gutted. They had to demolish it in the end."

"It was a good fire in the sense that no one was injured but unfortunately the guy lost his shed."

About 20 fire fighters battled the blaze for about three hours before they got it under control.

Fire crews left the scene about 6.30pm.