Flames defeat rescue bid by neighbours
Neighbours battled to save a man fatally injured in a West Auckland explosion, but were beaten back by the flames.
The Monday evening blast, believed to have been caused by welding, destroyed a shed on Don Buck Rd, Massey, killing a man and sending smoke billowing over the area.
Tyler Proud, who lived in a flat underneath the house where the blast happened, arrived on the scene just after the explosion.
He said yesterday morning that the man was still alive after the blast, and residents tried helping after the explosion but were turned back by the flames.
He said the dead man was a ‘‘fast-paced guy’’ who was always willing to help out, and said the family who lived at the house were ‘‘lovely and solid’’.
He confirmed the victim worked on cars in the shed.
The shed contained drawers filled with screws and tools and Proud said it was lucky the shrapnel hadn’t hit anyone.
Police yesterday said they were continuing their examination into the cause of the blast. Residents said a team of fire investigators were also on the scene.
Local dairy owner Kasey Chauhan, whose shop is nearby, said she had been told by other locals it was a welding accident.
‘‘What we have heard now is that it was a guy who does welding in a confined space,’’ Chauhan said. ‘‘He also had paint solvents so that sparking off the metal must have triggered off the paints to explode.’’
A woman who said she knew the occupants of the property but did not want her name used, told Stuff it was ‘‘just a horrible accident involving a welder and being a tool shed it was full of highly explosive materials’’.
Three dogs were removed from the property by friends just before 10am.
A neighbour, who gave his name as Patrick, said he believed three generations of family lived at the property.
It included an elderly woman Patrick regularly greeted, the man and children – including a baby.
Patrick said he had heard a grinding noise before the explosion. The man regularly worked on cars.
Detective Senior Sergeant Callum McNeill, from Waitemata¯ police, said yesterday morning that police and Fire and Emergency were investigating the cause of the fatal explosion.
‘‘A scene examination is under way which will help investigators better understand what occurred at the address, however the cause of the explosion will not be determined until the investigation is complete and this can often take some time.’’
A scene guard remained in place and the matter had been referred to the coroner, McNeill said.