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Timber stored in a warehouse fuelled the flames when fire broke out early today.
At the height of the blaze in the two-storey wooden building about eight fire appliances battled the flames.
Firefighters were called to Raiha Street in an industrial area of in Porirua about 5.30am and police blocked off roads around the warehouse.
Fire Service communications shift manager Murray Dunbar said at 7.45am firefighters were scaling back their presence, but some would have to remain there "for quite some time" to continue dragging out the stored timber to prevent the fire flaring up again.
The building itself was about 45m by 15m and was severely damaged.
Mr Dunbar said fire safety investigators would try to determine the cause of the blaze but it was too early to speculate what started it.
The building was about 42-years-old and in an area near Kenepuru Hospital.
- NZPA
