The fire was difficult to access due to it being seated deep in a pile of scrap metal. The only way to extinguish it was to use the Mount’s aerial ladder appliance and have a large loader move the metal to slowly expose the fire. We returned to station about 8.30am, then most of the brigade members had a shower and went to work.
Just after 4pm the same day we responded to assist Pāpāmoa with a second alarm house fire at Pompano Key that caused significant damage. Later the same evening we attended a medical call to assist St John Ambulance at a cardiac arrest in Te Puke which was sadly fatal.
Since then we have had another 13 calls, mostly minor incidents or false alarms, although one to a skip bin fire at Fairhaven School had potential for disaster after some ashes (thought to be cold) from a small barbecue fire were emptied into the skip, then set the skip contents alight.
The moral of the story is that ashes need to be thoroughly wet with no dust-like appearance before you can even start to trust that they will not cause problems.
On behalf of the brigade, we wish everybody a happy and safe festive season.
Please take care on the roads as we have all too often been called to tragic accidents very close to, or on Christmas Day, which is heart-breaking for everybody involved.
