"The corridors were just like a roaster. As I was going down the back corridor, there was melted plastic dropping out of the ceiling.
"It was very hot and smokey, so it wasn't a good time to hang around. We all got out fine to the muster point, and called the fire service."
Nurse Glenda Campbell, who has worked at the surgery since it opened in 2002, said she had just left the building when the fire alarm sounded, which she mistook for a security warning.
"I thought it was a burglar alarm malfunction and went straight back in to check. I could smell smoke so I went to the front and stood with the rest of the people who got out.
"We could see the flames coming out through the roof. It was a wee bit of a scramble because we had to be quick. There was no time to do much other than get out. Some staff had to leave their keys and bags locked inside and their cars around the back."
Clinical director Tony Becker said he was walking his dog past the building when he saw flames shooting from the roof.
"I saw the flames and fire in the ceiling and warned those inside."
Masterton station officer Garry Nielsen said the fire had erupted in a central area of ceiling in the surgery and rapidly took hold before the first of about 30 firefighters aboard seven engines arrived at the scene from Masterton, Carterton and Greytown.
Police set up cordons and ambulance paramedic staff were on standby at the site. Firefighters remained at the scene for several hours and later in the night a breathing apparatus and a rescue engine arrived from the Hutt district.
Mr Nielsen said a fire crew in breathing gear battled the blaze from inside the building and about six firefighters attacked the fire from the roof. A third crew was stationed on the western side of the building in case the blaze spread to a neighbouring pharmacy and medical laboratory.
He said an aircraft also had been called before being stood down when ground crews contained the blaze.
"Once we got on top of it, we knocked it out pretty quick. It had the potential to be a lot worse and there was a significant salvage as well - a lot of computers and medical equipment."
Mr Nielsen said the fire seemed to have erupted in the ceiling and could have been an electrical fault in any number of systems including the air conditioning. Fire investigators were onsite today.
Mr Cocks said the blaze caused extensive damage to the building and medical equipment, of which some was being salvaged.
"All our clinical supplies have been destroyed. There are quite a lot of computers in there, we think the main computer system is ok."
Burst water pipes were causing ongoing leakage and the clinic and pharmacy were without power.
Mr Cocks said public notices and broadcasts will be made about medical services and patients with urgent needs could be seen from 1pm today at the Hiki Te Ora clinic in the nearby WINZ building on Lincoln Rd.
Regular services also were running at Te Rangimarie marae, he said.
Mr Cocks said patients were inundating the Wairarapa Hospital emergency department despite it being meant for crisis cases only.
He said Healthline could be called at 0800 611 116 for free advice from trained registered nurses.
Mr Cocks said properties were being identified for short term use.
"The challenge is being a large practice it's much more complex, there are some logistics that make it really difficult.
He was grateful for support from other practices, businesses, Waiata House, Compass Health, Mr Cocks said, and Wairarapa District Health Board.
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