A person has died after being struck by a train near Te Puke in the Western Bay of Plenty.

The incident happened near Pah Rd at 2.15am on Thursday.

Fire and Emergency were notified by the train operator that the locomotive had possibly struck someone on the tracks between Kaituna River Rd and the giant kiwifruit.

Two fire crews from Maketu and Te Puke attended the scene, says Fire and Emergency northern communications shift manager Daniel Nicholson.

"They arrived and searched the train tracks for a patient."

One person was located, he says.

Firefighters then left the area with police, intending of returning at daylight.

The person was yet to be formally identified.

Police are investigating.

-Stuff.co.nz/Phillipa Yalden.