Officers injured in New Zealand prison riot

A PRISON riot in New Zealand is over, but three prison officers have been injured.

A PRISON riot in New Zealand is over, but three prison officers have been injured.

The disturbance, at Spring Hill prison, near Huntly in the Waikato region of North Island, involved 27 inmates who damaged two cell blocks and set several fires.

Apparently gang related, it was brought under control by specialist teams, Corrections northern region commissioner Jeanette Burns said in a statement on Saturday night.

Three officers, with injuries including suspected fractures, and two prisoners were being assessed by medical staff, Ms Burns said.

However, she said the objective to end the situation with minimal injury to staff and minimal disruption was achieved.

"This was a serious event and regrettable."

There would be a heavy staff presence at the prison overnight and police, fire and ambulance officers would remain at the scene as a precaution, Ms Burns said.

Aerial footage from 3News on Saturday afternoon showed bonfires in the yards and prisoners waving weapons.

Thick smoke could be seen billowing out of the prison.

Reporters at the scene said more than 15 fire service appliances were there.

Ambulance staff were called in at 12.50pm but did not go inside because it was too dangerous, St John Ne Zealand communications team manager Norm Ngatai said.

There was initially a report someone had been stabbed but further information suggested it may not have been the case, he said.

Police issued a no-fly zone around the prison during the riot.

The minimum to high security prison, one of New Zealand's largest, was opened in 2007. It has 650 beds and cost $US380.3 million ($395.75 million) to build.

It is the same facility where a guard was killed by a prisoner in 2010.