Fire crews battle huge fire at paper plant

Christchurch firefighters are battling a huge blaze at a paper recycling plant.

Bales of stacked paper two storeys high, covering an area half the size of a rugby field, are alight.

Emergency services were called to the Buchanans Road site in Hornby just after 9am, chief fire officer Dan Coward said.

Five fire appliances and 26 firefighters would be there for most of the day dampening down the flames.

The bales were made up of tightly compressed recycled paper.

The fire was not threatening property. It was not yet known what caused the fire.

- NZPA