Crews battle Hawera school blaze

Firefighters battled a arge blaze at an intermediate school in Hawera after the emergency service was alerted early this morning.

Central Fire Service spokeswoman Jan Wills said 11 crews were called to the fire at Hawera Intermediate School  on South Rd just before 6am.

She said the fire was "well involved" in a two-storey block when  firefighters arrived. The building houses eight classrooms.

"All we know is it was well involved on arrival and all manpower is being utilised. Everybody on the scene is currently doing something. [It's] fairly large," she said.

It was too early to say whether it would be treated as suspicious, Ms Wills said.

Flames and black smoke could be seen rising into the sky above the two-storey building.

A number of firefighters were on the scene, including specialist investigators.

Hawera is the second-largest town in the Taranaki region, situated 75km south of New Plymouth.

The school is closed for the day because of the blaze. A message on its Facebook page stated it would update parents and students as soon as it could.

"Yes it is true our school is on fire," the post read.

The New Zealand Transport Agency repoprted delays on State Highway 3 as a result of the emergency services at the school and drivers should expect congestion and take extra care.

 

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