Fire investigators found the blaze started from a hot exhaust, spreading down rows of cars. Video / Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora
CCTV footage of the Whangārei Hospital carpark blaze that damaged 28 vehicles has been released by Health NZ to quash “ongoing speculation and misinformation”.
The fire broke out just after 2pm on October 21 in the staff carpark between the hospital campus and Raumanga Stream.
The blaze started withjust one vehicle but quickly spread down the rows of cars, sending flames and thick, potentially toxic, smoke into the air.
Newly-released footage today shows a dark-coloured ute backing into a parking space and sitting with the engine running for three minutes.
The vehicle then leaves the parking bay when flames begin to appear on the long and dry grass beneath the exhaust.
Group director of operations for Northland Alex Pimm said the footage was to stop ongoing speculation and online misinformation regarding the cause of the fire.
The CCTV footage from Whangārei Hospital shows a diesel ute backing into the long grass, sitting in this position for nearly three minutes before driving off as the grass fire took hold. Photo / Supplied
The clip, just over 10 minutes long, showed the fire starting in the grass right up until the camera cable melted and cut the recording.
“This shows just how quickly a fire can start and spread,” Pimm said.
“We’re extremely grateful there were no staff or patient injuries as a result, and at how quickly emergency services arrived at the scene.”
Pimm said Health NZ had since removed some of the vegetation in the carpark, and maintenance work had been carried out to prevent similar incidents in future.
Brodie Stone covers crime and emergency for the Northern Advocate. She has spent most of her life in Whangārei and is passionate about delving into issues that matter to Northlanders and beyond.
