Firefighters have extinguished a large blaze that broke out at a Hamilton boat storage facility earlier tonight.
Police and Fire and Emergency (FENZ) attended to the fire on Te Rapa Road that broke out at around 5.30pm. Authorities lifted stay-inside warnings shortly after 9pm.
A spokesperson for FENZ said: "The fire caused a toxic smoke plume to drift over the suburbs to the east of the scene.
"An emergency mobile alert was sent to warn residents to stay inside with their windows and doors closed to avoid the smoke. This warning was lifted at around 9pm, shortly after the fire was confirmed as extinguished. Four trucks remain on the scene.
"An investigation into the cause of the fire will take place from tomorrow."
Earlier, residents in the suburbs of Chartwell and Rototuna were advised to stay inside with their windows and doors closed. A mobile alert was sent to residents at 7pm.
Motorists were earlier urged to avoid the area. Firefighters from seven stations responded to the incident, according to Fire and Emergency.
When crews arrived, they found a building measuring 40m x 10m well involved in fire.
Fire and Emergency Northern Communication Centre Shift Manager Michael Anderson said earlier there had been eight fire trucks, one ladder truck, one command unit, two water tankers and five support vehicles on the scene.
Footage sent to 1News showed huge plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky. One eyewitness nearby said the smoke was "pitch black" and visible from a nearby motorway.
They said workers at the nearby New World had heard explosions.
Another person said they could see the fire from a distance away in Nawton.
SHARE ME