Hamilton blaze still smouldering

Published: 10:18AM Monday April 07, 2008 Source: ONE News

  • Print this article
  • Text size + -

Firefighters from around the country have been called in to help put it out the  blaze at Tamahera near Hamilton, that's still burning more than two days after it started.

Firefighters on the scene are currently waiting for diggers to peel away the top layers of the charred debris in order to douse the blaze.

"What you have is a big smouldering heap which is burning underneath it," says Firefighter Ron Devlin.

The fire was still smouldering on Monday despite tonnes of water being sprayed on to the wreckage.

About 30 fire fighters worked through Sunday night trying to contain the fire, but melting dairy products enflamed the fire even more.

Fire investigators and the directors of Icepak are trying to decide the next course of action. At some stage bulldozers will be bought in to demolish the building.

Currently, the fire scene is still thick with heat.

"It would be well over 1000 degrees Celsius at the peak of the fire, and even now it would 700 to 800 degrees centigrade," says Firefighter Michael Brown.

Fire safety investigators and insurance assessors have also moved into the burnt out site of the fatal cool store blaze.

Meanwhile, despite some earlier criticism of fire safety precautions, the Waikato Chief Fire Officer Roy Breeze now says a sprinkler system would not have prevented the fire crew injuries as the sprinkler heads would have been blown out in the explosion.

Also on Monday, a group of firefighter recruits paid their respects to officer Derek Lovell, with a minute's silence at the Hamilton fire station.

Veteran fire officer Derek Lovell was killed in the explosion at Icepak and six of his colleagues were injured. One is still in a critical condition in the burns unit at Middlemore Hospital.

Firefighters were called to a fire on Devine Road when there were multiple explosions around 4pm on Saturday afternoon.

Water was needed quickly but the rural water feed was slow and low pressure.

"We bought in every tanker we can including private tankers. We drained swimming pools and every tank around us. We can't battle those odds," said Breeze.

Fonterra tankers had to fill up at Te Rapa and Teawamut, which was more than 20 kilometres away.

  • Print this article
  • Text size + -
  • more...

Latest Breakfast Video

Advertising

How do you want your news?

  • Mobile Devices

    TVNZ is available on mobile phones: Text TVNZ to 8869.

  • News Feeds

    See when TVNZ have added new content. You can get the latest headlines anywhere.

  • Podcasts

    Enjoy TVNZ on the move - a wide range of programmes and highlights are available.