Tauranga processing plant extensively damaged in fire

Fire at the compost and bark processing plant Gammans this morning. Photo /Sandra Conchie

Fire extensively damaged a processing plant and completely destroyed a truck near Tauranga this morning. Fire and emergency services arrived at the Gammans processing plant in Plummers Point Rd about 6.30am where a building and a nearby pile of bark was reported to be alight.

The fire was described as "well-involved" and local police helped with traffic control.

A Fire and Emergency NZ spokeswoman said by about 8.20am the fire was out.

Ōmokoroa fire chief Ian Blunt said about 30 firefighters were involved in fighting the fire including dampening down hotspots.

Fire crews from Ōmokoroa, Greerton, Tauranga and Katikati brigades as well as waters tankers from Greerton, Waihī and Katikati attended the fire, he said.

Blunt said the last fire crew left the property about 10.30 am.

Blunt said the blaze measuring about 30m by 20m-30m, resulted in extensive damage to the processing plant and a loader truck was completely destroyed.

"We managed to protect an adjacent pile of bark from also catching on fire," he said.

Blunt said a fire investigator was called to the scene to establish the exact cause of the blaze.

One of the property owners had alerted the fire service after seeing the smoke.

Russell Gamman, one of the owners, told the Bay of Plenty Times that the situation was now under control and he did not wish to comment further