Fire threatens Ruatoki school

Firefighters are battling to contain a blaze in a remote Ruatoki Valley school in eastern Bay of Plenty.

The Fire Service sent six appliances to the blaze at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori a Rohe o Ruatoki, in the small Ruatoki settlement, 15km south of Whakatane, fire service spokesman Colin Underdown told NZPA.

Fire had spread through the school hall into four classrooms.

"We've managed to prevent it from going into other parts of the school and are bringing it under control.

"One issue we are finding at the scene is lack of water."

A fire safety investigator was at the scene trying to find the cause of the blaze.

- NZPA