Paengaroa kiwifruit unit gutted by fire

A kiwifruit worker's unit in Paengaroa was badly damaged by fire today, more than eight hours after the man had left for work at 4.30am.

It was one of about a dozen units in what was formerly a motor lodge on State Highway 33 before it was bought by a kiwifruit corporate.

Firewalls prevented the fire spreading to the neighbouring unit in the block.

Maketu's fire chief Shane Beech said it took the brigade about 20 minute to bring the blaze under control after the alarm was raised at 1.06pm.

Dampening down the unit continued for a further hour.

It was part of a complex of older style units opposite the new truck weigh station.

Mr Beech said an investigation had started to try and find what started the fire which gutted the bedroom portion of the 7m x 7m unit.

It was a bit of a mystery how the fire started, given that the occupant had left for work at about 4.30am.