Emergency services at Invercargill fire, smoke clouds CBD

Smoke from the fire can be seen from central Invercargill. Photo / ODT

Emergency services are at the scene of a fire at Turnbull Thomson Park which has been pouring smoke into the sky in Invercargill.

A firefighter at the scene said the source of the fire was believed to be a big pile of rubber.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Simon Lyford said emergency services received multiple calls at 10.58am reporting black smoke in the area.

Initially, two appliances from Invercargill fire station attended the scene.

The scene of the fire in Camden St. Photo / ODT

‘’On arrival, they found a well-involved fire, which was threatening some neighbouring structures, so they triggered a second alarm,’’ he said.

Two more appliances - one from Invercargill and one from Kingswell - were sent to the scene.

‘’They are working to extinguish the fire. It seems is a 4 metre by 5 metre [area] and they are working to extinguish it with hoses and foam.’’

Parts of Islington St and Tay St were blocked while the work was carried out by firefighters, he said.

Lyford said - at this stage - there was no report of people in the area at the time of the fire.

A witness at the scene said the fire was in a pile of rubber. Another said it was where old hockey turf was stored. - ODT