Billows of smoke could be seen from hundreds of metres away down in High Street in Carterton as a sleepout went up in flames on Friday afternoon.
Three fire crews were called to the scene of the fire on Moore Cres at the south end of Carterton.
Carterton Senior Station Officer Richard Epplett said two Carterton crews attended at 2.30pm and called for a third crew from Greytown, realising the fire was out of control.
"It was going about as well as it could," Mr Epplett said of the blaze.
About 15 firefighters attended the fire. Two crews had to don breathing apparatus.
