Homes evacuated after fire at grain processing building in Gisborne

Emergency services raced to the Corson Grain Mill on Cochrane Street, Elgin, at around 7pm this evening. Photo / File

Residents in Gisborne were being evacuated from their homes after a grain processing building caught fire.

Emergency services raced to the Corson Grain Mill on Cochrane Street, Elgin, at about 7pm.

People were being urged to avoid the area as emergency services, including four firetrucks, work to put out the blaze.

Traffic management was in place and residents were being evacuated from nearby homes as a precaution, a police spokesperson said.

The fire is now under control, a police spokesperson later confirmed, and residents have been able to return to their homes.

Police will have a scene guard at the location overnight.

One Gisborne local told Newstalk ZB they were worried about how Gisborne’s current water shortages following cyclone Gabrielle were going to affect the firefighter’s efforts in putting out the fire.