Fire crews have put out a fire near Springfield Golf Course.
The cause of a large shed fire near Springfield Golf Course is being investigated while two men driving past used a garden hose to help contain a nearby burning fence.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Craig Dally said two fire crews from Rotorua station attended the fire on Rotorua's Horoeka St reported about 2.20pm.
Dally said the large shed on private property next to the golf course was well-alight when firefighters arrived and it had taken about half an hour to extinguish.
A shed is on fire near the Springfield Golf Course in Rotorua. Photo / Ben Fraser
There were no people in or near the shed when it caught fire and there were no reports of anyone being injured, he said.
Dally said it was not known what caused the fire and a fire investigator was investigating.
The fire crews stayed at the scene to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.
A witness said smoke could be seen from across the golf course and the fire crews were seen breaking through a wall of the shed to put it out.
Local lawn mowing labourers Liam Uttinger and Robbie Wong-Toi, who turned up before the fire crews, said they were driving past when they saw a lot of smoke, so parked up and went to investigate.
Uttinger said they could see a large shed down a long driveway on fire and the flames and smoke just kept getting "bigger and bigger".
"We could also see a fence, which bordered a neighbouring property, was on fire, so we quickly connected a garden house to a nearby tap and started dousing the fence to keep the fire from spreading.
Uttinger said the shed fire was "too intense" and fierce and there wasn't enough water to even think about trying to use the hose on the burning shed.
Well-involved shed fire near Springfield Golf Course. Photo / Supplied
He said they could also hearing loud popping sounds, which may have been cans or gas canisters inside the shed exploding before the firefighters arrived.
Uttinger said there was no one home at the neighbouring house which was about 2m away from burning fence.
Wong-Toi said their major concern was that if the wind had picked up embers from the fire could easily have spread to the neighbour's house and another house behind it.
"We just did our best to contain the fence fire until the fire guys arrived," he said.
"Fortunately, there was no immediate risk to the house on the property where the shed was on fire as it was about 10m away, but if the wind had changed direction it could have been a different story."
Uttinger said the firefighters did an "amazing job" to contain the fire after "blasting the shed with loads of water" meaning the flames were reduced within minutes.
Meanwhile, Edgecumbe firefighters attended a fully-involved small garden shed fire in Puriri Rd following a 111 call about 5.10 pm on Friday, November 27.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said the shed measured two metres by four metres and the cause of the fire was not known.
There were no reports of injuries to anyone, he said.
