Northland police appealing for information after second fire on Sime Rd in Ruakākā

The fire took two-and-a-half hours to put out. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Firefighters say lives are being put at risk after a second fire was believed to have been deliberately lit at an unused power station in Ruakākā.

Emergency services were called to Sime Rd, off Marsden Point Rd, at about 11pm on Wednesday after receiving reports of a vegetation fire.

Ruakākā chief fire officer Warren Marshall said the blaze was around 50m by 50m and took more than two and a half hours to put out with the help of two tankers and four fire trucks.

He said the fire had clearly not been caused by a natural event. Police are appealing for information about the fire.

The location of the fire could have made it far more serious as Niwa and the new power station are nearby and the site is difficult to access, Marshall said.

“It’s an industrial area that could be threatened quite easily. There’s a lot of overgrown stuff around the old power station and obviously, people are gaining access through the fences.”

Marshall said the blaze was especially concerning as Northland is in a restricted fire season.

“We’ve got to be aware there’s a threat of it spreading and wind spreading [fire] in the dry areas.

“It’s [Northland] unlikely to get any rain in the near future. Water tanks are down in houses and water sources are getting quite low”.

Marshall said fire investigators did not attend.

Anyone with footage or information is asked to contact police on 105 and reference job number P057783408, or anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Brodie Stone is the education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.