The workplace safety regulator has been notified about a fire that badly damaged a boiler shed at the Gloriavale Christian community's meal plant.

A firefighter was taken to Greymouth's Te Nīkau Hospital in a moderate condition following the blaze at Gloriavale's Value Proteins plant late on 14 August.

Fire and Emergency (FENZ) said the firefighter suffered a "medical event" and was released a short time later.

Five volunteer brigades were called to the fire at Haupiri but FENZ said information about the cause of the blaze was not yet available.

It was not being treated as suspicious.

WorkSafe said staff were making initial enquiries to understand the circumstances of the fire.

Photos seen by RNZ show flames engulfing the shed, a hose spraying water to cool fuel tanks nearby and firefighters later working in the charred remains of the building.

Value Proteins is a rendering company that takes freezing works waste and turns it into bulk pet food ingredients for local sale and export.

In a statement, a Gloriavale spokesperson said the processing plant had been temporarily shut down.

"Value Proteins can report that emergency services safely managed a localised fire at our processing facility on Friday night. The incident was contained to the boiler shed, which sustained structural damage," they said.

"Safety protocols were successfully activated and there were zero injuries.

"Value Proteins extends its gratitude to Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) and our on-site team for their professional response, which quickly brought the situation under control.

"The incident has caused a temporary shutdown of our rendering plant. However, we are committed to safely resuming operations as soon as possible."

According to the Christian Church Community Trust's latest financial statements, Value Proteins had venison output of $2 million, tallow output of $1.9 million and sheep output of $1.1 million in 2025.

In 2022 Silver Fern Farms cut commercial ties with Value Proteins following an Employment Court ruling that found Gloriavale businesses had used child labour.