Workers were tonight cleaning up after a sawdust blaze at a wood processing plan in Southland this afternoon.
The Fire Service was called to the Dongwha Patinna plant on State Highway 1 south of Mataura, about 12km southwest of Gore, about 12.50pm today.
Dongwha Patinna general manager Murray Wallace told NZPA workers noticed smoke at an area of the plant where large sheets of medium density fibreboard were being to cut into smaller pieces about 12.45pm.
The plant was shut down as a precaution and no one was injured.
Mr Wallace said firefighters left the plant about 4pm, and there was minimal damage.
Workers were cleaning-up tonight, and he expected the plant to reopen tomorrow morning.
The plant makes fibreboard by pressing and heating fine wood particles.
The fire comes two years after smouldering wood dust exploded from a duct, seriously burning one man and causing minor burns to a second man.
Firefighters at the time said there were several fires a year at the plant.
