Fires gut buildings in Tauranga and Oamaru

9:08 am on 4 March 2017

Buildings in Tauranga and Oamaru have suffered significant damage from fires overnight.

Fight Club, a mixed-martial arts studio in Tauranga has suffered significant damage from a fire this morning.

Firefighters were called to the blaze about at 5.30am at Birch Avenue alongside the Kopurererua stream.

The fire is now extinguished and the studio, which suffered severe damage to the rear of the building, is being ventilated.

There had been fears people were inside the building but two searches so far have found no one.

At the height of the fire, 13 fire trucks from around Bay of Plenty, and as far away as Rotorua, responded to the blaze.

House north of Oamaru gutted by fire

Fire investigators are to head to the remains of a house largely destroyed by fire in the Waitaki district north of Oamaru overnight.

Firefighters were called to the house on Georgetown-Pukeuri Road at 11.40pm and there were fears a person was inside.

But after a search nobody was found with the house and the fire was put out by 1.10am.

The cause is unknown but investigators are to head there this morning.