A mysterious object has seemingly crash-landed in the remote Western Australian outback, triggering a multi-agency response.

The item was found burning on a service road on the grounds of a mining site on Sunday afternoon.

Authorities are investigating how the blackened suspected space debris ended up there, near the mining town of Newman.

Transport safety officials ruled out the item being from a commercial aircraft, saying it was more likely to be re-entering space debris.

Suspected space debris on a mine site service road. Photo: WA Police

“Initial assessments indicate the item was made of carbon fibre and may be a composite over-wrapped pressure vessel or rocket tank, consistent with aerospace components,” a WA Police spokesperson said.

“The object remains under investigation, though its characteristics are consistent with known space re-entry debris … further technical assessment will be undertaken by engineers from the Australian Space Agency to assist in identifying its nature and source.”

Mine site personnel found the burning object near a remote access road and called emergency services about 2pm, police said.

Police, the Australian Space Agency, the WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the mine operators are all involved in the investigation.