He said firefighters from Rotorua had been at the fire in the Port of Tauranga earlier in the day, and they had returned by the time this fire broke out.
Iqbal Singh came across the fire while getting food nearby.
"I saw black smoke coming out."
Fire at Dudfield Bryce Printers on White St. Photo / Ben Fraser
Singh said he had seen what looked like workers evacuate the building which was smoking.
A police spokeswoman said police were aware of the fire in a two-storey building and had asked Fire and Emergency New Zealand if it needed police help.
Employees at Advance Steel Engineering next door said they were outside by about 3.45pm.
Fire at Dudfield Bryce Printers on White St. Photo / Ben Fraser
"It smoked the workshop out and at the same time the printers came out and told us to evacuate."
Within 10 minutes the first fire crews had arrived.
