Fire pumps out choking smoke
A massive scrap metal yard fire in south Auckland may burn until this afternoon.
Acrid, plastic-smelling smoke from the blaze yesterday forced south Auckland school children indoors and impeded nearby businesses.
Mangere East’s Sutton Park School had to keep its pupils inside after nearby Sims Pacific Metals caught fire.
At the height of the blaze, about 80 firefighters and 20 fire trucks were battling the flames in a ‘‘massive’’ pile of shredded vehicles about a kilometre from the school.
About 3.30pm yesterday, Fire and Emergency New Zealand area commander Geoff Purcell said about 60 firefighters remained at the fire and two excavators were breaking up the pile of scrap metal. They were going through about 20 tonnes of scrap an hour, but with the fire engulfing about 1600 tonnes of scrap metal, ‘‘it’s likely to take time’’, he said.
The fire was expected to burn for at least 12 to 24 hours.
‘‘We are making progress but it is slow, arduous work and something we unfortunately can’t speed through.’’
He said people living in the area should keep out of the smoke, stay inside and shut all doors and windows and close down ventilation systems if they could.
Any smoke residue should be wet-wiped from hard surfaces, especially areas where food was prepared, floors and window sills. However, he said there was no cause for alarm from the smoke, and no hazardous goods or chemicals were involved in the fire.
Bakery owner Sinat Tin said the ‘‘plastic smelling’’ smoke made it hard for her and her customers to breathe.
‘‘I’ve been running all my fans to try and suck out the air,’’ Tin said.
Despite her efforts many customers stayed away, she said.
Acting Counties Manukau chief medical officer Vanessa Thornton said the smoke was unlikely to pose a significant health risk. If people were worried, particularly those with asthma or respiratory issues, they should seek medical advice.
The fire broke out about 2am, with explosions heard coming from a pile of trashed cars and whiteware.
Sims Pacific Metals is one of the country’s biggest scrap metal recyclers.