Car bursts into flames in Mt Maunganui shopping area

Smoke billowed from a car on fire in Mt Maunganui's main shopping area. Photo / Duncan Lowry

A car has gone up in smoke in downtown Mt Maunganui.

Firefighters were called to the car fire shortly before 11am, outside the BNZ bank in the main shopping area of Maunganui Rd.

Fire communications shift manager Jaron Phillips said they had received many 111 calls as the fire was "obviously very, very visible".

He said firefighters quickly extinguished the flames.

The cause of the fire was not known at this stage.