A large blaze has swamped New Zealand packaging and processing plant NZ Timber Packaging overnight, destroying crucial machinery and shutting down the factory temporarily.
The Taupo-based packaging plant caught alight the night before last and the blaze was not controlled until the early hours of this morning. It remains unknown was caused the fire.
According to reports, NZ Timber Packaging managing director Keith Jarman drove down from Auckland to survey the damage but was relieved to find most of the damage had avoided the main part of the factory.
However the fire did destroy a number of saws for cutting timber used for pallets, crates and bins.
The packaging plant is yet to reopen, leaving its thirty full-time staff members in the lurch. Jarman expects it will take several weeks for the factory to reopen and resume its full operations.
The Taupo-based operation began in 1993 and supplies timber packaging product across the North island of New Zealand.
