Fire destroys service station

Fire crews from Ranfurly, Naseby and Omakau have managed to bring under control a fire which has destroyed a garage and service station early today.

Two main streets have been blocked off in the central Otago town of Ranfurly as about 25 firefighters continue to dampen down hot spots.

Ranfurly Chief Fire Officer James Hazlett told NZPA it was a major structural fire in the town's main street.

"It was the main garage in Ranfurly...sandwich shop, bike shop and flat above it, probably bigger than 80 square metres," he said.

The occupants of the flat, the garage owners, managed to escape unscathed and there were no injuries among the firefighters.

Mr Hazlett said the garage was well ablaze when the firefighters arrived, after the alarm was raised by the local butcher about 5am. It took more than two hours to bring the fire under control and the building was pretty much destroyed.

He said Fire Safety officers would investigate the cause of the fire.

- NZPA