A witness to a blaze at a South Auckland care wreckers yard has told of hearing gas cylinders exploding and popping and seeing a huge fireball.
It took more than 70 firefighters and 17 appliances to bring the fire under control after Fire and Emergency NZ were called to the scene on Jellicoe Road, Manurewa, just after 11.30am.
Residents close by were evacuated because of the smoke, roads were closed and trains cancelled, with the wreckers yard situated adjacent to the Southern line.
Chris Evans was at work at a packaging firm opposite the wreckers when the fire broke out.
"All of a sudden I saw a lot of some coming up from the building opposite us at the car wreckers. We thought it was a controlled burn, but turns out it got worse and worse," Mr Evans told 1 NEWS.
"And my boss was on the phone to the fire brigade, and as soon as he got off a fireball came up and just went out of control. Assume it was from a gas cylinder or something, but yeah, just a big fireball came up in the air. And I was like 'wow, crap!'
"There was the constant noises of gas cylinders exploding. We could hear them popping off and everything," he said.
A very tall plume of smoke can be seen rising from the area. (Source: Other)
Mr Evans said the fire brigade were there about three minutes after phone call, and police even quicker.
"And they shut off the area and made sure the adjacent building was all evacuated, did a bit of door knocking, and about 20 minutes later we were told to close our business down."
Fire and Emergency NZ assistant area commander Craig Monrad said he understands three businesses operate out of a number of buildings in the block, and they're all extensively damaged.
Mr Monrad said the wreckers yard does have LPG bottles and acetylene cylinders as part of their normal operations, and the workers removed a number of them.
"However they couldn't confirm that they got them all out, so we assume some of those were involved in the explosions."
Mr Monrad said the workers tried to put the fire out but it got too big too quick.
"Potentially it is dangerous. But it takes time for a fire to develop and they got out quickly and they did the right thing, they called Fire and Emergency New Zealand," he said.
One firefighter suffered exhaustion and a headache, he said.
Mr Monrad said the fire is not suspicious and, "I guess an accidental result of the work they were doing which started a small fire which they were unable to control and contain".
The fire is under control and while crews are still on scene there's no risk to residents who can now open their windows, he said.
SHARE ME