A Reporoa man has told of how a fishing trip was over in a flash after a fuel explosion at the Gull Service station in Paengaroa.
Adrian Gidlow's story has been published on the Philips Search and Rescue Trust website to highlight how the service can aid recovery.
Mr Gidlow
and his two friends were on their way to Mayor Island for a weekend fishing trip, boat in tow, when they stopped at the Paengaroa Gull to fuel the boat.
"There was some fuel on the floor of the boat," he said in his patient story.
"I was in there cleaning it up and something ignited the fuel. Suddenly, whoosh, up it went."