State Highway 2 fire: Cause of fire near Tauranga investigated after traffic chaos

There were traffic delays on SH2 between Tauranga and Katikati due to a scrub fire. Photo / Fiona Roding

The cause of a scrub fire that brought traffic to a standstill along State Highway 2 near Tauranga on Monday afternoon is being investigated.

At the same time, a power cut affected more 200 properties in the same area, around Whakamārama.

The outage occurred at 1.48pm and power was restored at 6.45pm, a PowerCo spokesperson said.

“Tree debris had fallen on to a power line, and the power was left off at Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s request so the fire could be extinguished,” the spokesperson said.

Police said yesterday the fire near the Te Puna Stream bridge was first reported about 1.50pm.

While the incidents happened around the same time, a Fire and Emergency spokesperson said the cause of the fire had not been determined.

Nine crews from Ōmokoroa, Greerton, Katikati, Tauranga, Waihī and Te Puke attended.

No injuries were recorded at the fire, and Hato Hone St John was on standby during the incident, a spokesperson said.

“We were on standby but not required.”

Delays of up to two hours were reported as the highway was initially blocked then down to one lane while firefighters worked to contain the fire.

Congestion cleared up at 6.45pm after firefighters extinguished the fire, a statement from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said.