One missing after 'drug lab' blaze

Photo / File

A woman is unaccounted for and two others were injured in a suspected drug lab fire at a west Auckland apartment block this morning.

Fire fighters arrived at the two-storey building on Hobsonville Rd in West Harbour just before 6.30am today to find a blaze contained to one apartment.

One man was taken to Middlemore Hospital with burns and a female was treated for smoke inhalation, said Fire Service shift manager Jaron Philips.

Another woman thought to have been in the building at the time of the fire remained unaccounted for, he said.

Fire fighters who searched the scene for the missing person discovered chemicals at the apartment - and a senior fire officer at the scene said it was possible the premises was used to cook up drugs.

Police would not confirm whether the apartment was a P-lab.

Six fire service appliances were at the scene, including the hazardous materials vehicle.

"Our main concern at the moment is the decontamination of our fire fighters," Mr Philips said.

Police and fire safety investigators are now at the scene.