Crews battle Te Puke sawmill blaze

Firefighters were this evening battling a large blaze at a Te Puke sawmill.

The fire broke out in a delivery hopper at the Pukepine Sawmill on State Highway 2 about 6.40pm.

Fire Service northern communications shift manager Jaron Phillips said the fire had spread to an 800sq m storage building, which was well alight.

Crews from six fire trucks have been called in from across the Bay of Plenty to battle the blaze.

Mr Phillips said they had managed to prevent the fire from spreading to a neighbouring stack of timber and another building.

But the fire was not yet under control and firefighters were establishing a command point.