Firefighters fight a large fire next to a fuel station in Manawatu

Firefighters are fighting to contain a fire in a two-story building in Manawatu.

Emergency services were called to the fire on Dundas Rd, in Sanson, around 5.15pm.

A New Zealand Fire and Emergency spokeswoman said six pumps and three tanker trucks were at the fire.

Firefighters activated a third alarm, requesting more help, when they arrived.

No other property is at risk of catching fire, the spokeswoman said.

Sanson local Stephen Gill, who lives around the corner from the burning antique and homewear store, says not much of the building remains standing.

“It’s a two-story building, so the smoke would have risen 50 to 100 meters and was blocking one of the back roads.

“There was a lot of smoke, for a long period of time, you couldn’t see the flames and when the flames were the end of the building, actually.”

Firefighters arriving in the city faced the additional hurdle of having to stock up on water to put out the flames at the local reservoir, Gill said.

“Our main road has no water supply, so the tanker trucks have had to come and go carrying water from the reservoir.”

A spokeswoman for St John Ambulance said one person suffered minor injuries in the fire. An ambulance was sent to attend to the person, who did not need hospital treatment.

Police have asked motorists to avoid the area, warning that detours are likely to be set up.

“Traffic will be affected and the roads around Dundas Rd are likely to be closed for some time,” police said in a statement.

The images show that the fire is near a fuel station.

Waka Kotahui / NZTA has closed a section of SH3, between the intersections of Milne Street and Phillips Street, until the fire is contained.