Police stepped in to control a huge crowd after a steamboat caught fire next to Warkworth Wharf in North Auckland this evening.

A Fire and Emergency spokesman said firefighters were called to a blaze at 8.27pm on a steamboat at Warkworth Wharf.

“The boat was well involved upon arrival … and part of the wharf was on fire,” he said.

“The owner is now arranging for a tugboat to tug it to a boat ramp where we will be able to fully extinguish the fire and the owner will attempt to refloat it.”