Large fire at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College, black smoke spewing across sky

Fire crews are battling a ‘huge’ a blaze at a Taupō high school which is spewing black smoke across the skyline.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand said the fire at Taupo-nui-a-Tia College is producing a “significant amount of smoke”.

“Nearby residents who may be affected by the smoke should close windows and doors,” Fire and Emergency said.

Crews from Lake Taupō, Taupō, Kinloch, Rotorua, Tokoroa, Greerton, Tauranga and Kaingaroa are responding to the incident.

A student at the school told the Herald she came within 100m of the blaze and was sweating due to the heat.

“There was glass and we could hear glass and explosions from inside.”

Video from the scene sent to the Herald showed firefighters climbing on to the roof of a burning school building, with crew members below passing them a hose.

They can be seen standing on the roof while enormous flames pour from the building 10m away.

A witness told the Herald she had been going shopping when she noticed the nearby blaze.

“It’s a big fire. I feel sorry for the kids. There will be some kids who will be happy and some kids who will be sad.

“The [trucks] have been coming and going. It’s still massive, black smoke. You can see the flames.”

A firefighter climbed on to the roof of Taupo-nui-a-Tia College to battle the blaze, which broke out this afternoon.

A second witness told the Herald she could hear booms and explosions from her house as the fire tore through the building.

In a Facebook post on their page, the school confirmed it would be closed tomorrow as a result of the fire.

“Please do not come on site.”

Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.