A large fire has ripped through a West Auckland plant nursery overnight, with dramatic images showing the “dangerous and out-of-control” blaze at its height.

Firefighters are this morning monitoring and dampening hotspots after struggling to control the inferno.

More than 60 firefighters scrambled to the scene, RNZ said. Fire and Emergency NZ told the Herald 16 fire engines were also sent.

The blaze ripped through Van Lier Nurseries, a family-owned flower wholesaler on Riverhead Rd. Company director Harry Van Lier told the Herald he was with a fire investigator this morning.

Dramatic images taken at the height of the fire show thick plumes of smoke rising from a warehouse surrounded by paddocks.

Embers flew into the sky, and the fire glowed bright white and orange. The inferno lit up the clouds of smoke against the dark evening sky.

Fire and Emergency Waitemetā assistant commander Garry Lane told the Herald it was a dangerous and out-of-control fire when crews arrived.

Crews were called at 9.44pm, a Fire and Emergency spokeswoman told the Herald this morning. The building was well alight when crews arrived.

Embers flew into the sky, and the fire glowed bright white and orange. The inferno lit up the clouds of smoke against the dark evening sky. Photo / Hayden Woodward

At the height of the fire, thick plumes of smoke rose from a warehouse surrounded by paddocks. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Firefighters are monitoring and dampening hotspots at a plant nursery after struggling against a raging blaze in West Auckland in the night. Photo / Hayden Woodward

The fire was burning an area of about 1250 sq m, the spokeswoman said.

“[Crews] made entry but decided it was too dangerous to fight the fire from the inside,” Lane said.

“As a result, they withdrew and commenced operations from outside the building,” he said.

Two ladder trucks battled the blaze, and firefighters used multiple hoses to douse the flames.

Firefighters contained the inferno at 11.53pm and the incident was scaled down at 1am, the Fire and Emergency spokeswoman said.

Two fire engines were still on the scene at 7.30am while crews monitored and dampened hotspots.

A fire investigator would be on the scene today, she said, and it was too early to determine the cause of the blaze.

Fire and Emergency shift manager Paul Radden told RNZ neither of the heavy arterial trucks from Auckland stations was working. Wellington lent one to the city’s firefighters this week, but it broke down and another was called in from Hamilton.

Lane told the Herald they had called for Hamilton’s truck, but it was then turned back.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers business, breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.