Firefighters who raced to the scene of the Carterton balloon crash last weekend had a special relationship with pilot Lance Hopping.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the tragedy, Carterton Fire chief Wayne Robinson said Mr Hopping was not only a friend of his brigade but had been involved with installing smoke alarms throughout Wairarapa.
"Lance was the organiser who arranged for teams of guys to canvass the whole of Wairarapa installing the alarms." A shed on Mr Hopping's property also still housed the brigade's vintage Austin fire engine.
Mr Robinson said his pager went off 30 seconds after the power blackout caused by the balloon crash on Saturday morning, and the first engine was on the scene very soon after. "It was by far and away the worst experience I have had as a fireman," he said. "We got there to find the balloon and the basket still burning as was a bit of grass around them. When we realised the full extent of what had happened we immediately cordoned off the scene."
A second appliance from Carterton with his deputy fire chief, Bryan Styles, and senior station officer Richard Epplett aboard meant the brigade's three most senior officers were quickly on the scene.
Mr Robinson said everyone worked brilliantly, not only his own crews but the volunteers from Greytown under the command of Josh Rodgers and the Masterton Fire Service crews led by Mike Cornford.
"Everyone did a wonderful job under awful circumstances." He said accolades also had to go to Masterton fire commander Henry Stechman and Carterton Mayor Ron Mark.