Water conservation urged as firefighters tackled mill blaze

Kaitaia residents were urged to use as little water as possible today while firefighters battled a large timber mill blaze.

The call was made to allow the fire service to use all the water they needed.

The blaze was brought under control this afternoon, though the cause remained a mystery. There had been concerns about the fire spreading to gas cylinders at the site.

Auckland fire communications shift manager Jaron Phillips said they were alerted to the fire at the Juken New Zealand Triboard Mill, just north of Kaitaia, at 10.20am today.

Appliances from Kaitaia, Maunganui, Whangarei, Kerikeri, Okaihau, Paihia and Kaikohe are attending to fight the blaze.

Mr Phillips said the 30m by 30m building was "well involved in fire" when the brigade arrived.

"We're going to be there most of the day," he said. There were no early reports of injuries.

A Kaitaia police spokesman said the mill was a major source of employment in the area.

If the mill were destroyed, it would be "devastating" for the local community, he said.

Juken New Zealand general affairs manager Mike Fisher said he could not comment on the fire until he knew the extent of the damage.

He said 175 people worked at the mill, most of them living locally.

The mill was operating today, so those working on this morning's shifts would have been evacuated.

Mr Fisher would not speculate about the future of the company until information about damage was known.

The Japanese-owned firm has invested almost $900 million in forestry assets, including $480 million in its four regional manufacturing plants, since its arrival in New Zealand in 1990.

Exports, primarily to Japan, exceeded $200 million per year.

Firefighters were called to put out a fire in a dryer at the mill in December 2003.

- NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB