A hybrid-vehicle fire caused the closure of Te Puke Highway last Friday.
We have had 145 emergency calls so far this year.
We have had 10 calls in the past fortnight that included five false alarms, a motor vehicle crash (no extrication required), a medical to Te Puke Intermediate to assist St John and with rescue helicopter landing, although the chopper was,
ultimately, not required.
There have also been three vehicle fires. The first was a tractor fire that was almost out on arrival because the owner had managed to get it under control. There was a 15-tonne digger with significant damage, and a hybrid-vehicle fire on Te Puke Highway about midnight on June 21.
The vehicle was well involved and the “popping” sounds emanating from it caused the road to be closed as a precaution until the fire was extinguished.
It took a fair amount of water to extinguish, but fortunately, it seems no thermal runaway (rupturing, releasing of toxic, flammable and explosive gas, or a self-sufficient fire, which can be hard to extinguish) had occurred so the fire was able to be put out without too much difficulty.
