Man suffers burns at oil refinery

A man has suffered facial burns in a fire at the Marsden Pt oil refinery in Whangarei.

Emergency services were called to the Refining NZ plant about 4.30pm.

One man was taken to hospital with burns to his face, northern fire communications spokesman Jaron Phillips said.

Three fire crews were called to the site.

A spokesman for the plant said the fire was on a decommissioned (closed down) platformer unit at the refinery.

The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined, but an investigation is under way.

"Our incident team will know more once [they've] carried out their investigation of the incident," the spokesman said.

"Unfortunately, a member of our maintenance crew has sustained what we understand at this stage to be minor injuries and, as a precaution, has been taken for further checks at Whangarei Hospital."