A loud explosion that shook people’s houses in Papakura last night has led to one person being arrested after police unearthed a clan lab at the suburban property.
Police said they responded to a “possible armed incident” at the Ancroft St property in Redhill around 8.30pm.
They found “several items of interest relating to the supply of drugs” at the address.
Images from the scene show officers talking to people in full-body protective gear while armed officers guard the address.
Police said they were speaking to several “persons of interest” and were conducting a scene examination.
“There is no risk to the public.”
Senior Sergeant Natalie Nelson said one person had been arrested following reports of suspicious activity.
“Around 8.35 pm, police received reports of a loud bang in the Papakura area.”
Officers discovered an “operational clan lab” after making inquiries, Nelson said.
A 42-year-old man will appear in Papakura District Court today, charged with unlawful possession of a pistol.
A scene examination would continue today, and further charges were being considered, Nelson said.
A man who lives on a neighbouring street said he felt the “massive explosion” shake his house.
“I was sitting in my lounge … and I thought that someone blew up, like a gas bottle, next door to me. The sound wave went right through my chest. So I was just thinking what the hell was that?”
When he went to investigate, the man saw burn marks and residue on the concrete outside the house, with paper and plastic debris strewn everywhere, he said.
“It was sort of like a bomb being set off.”
The neighbours told him the bang came from fireworks.
Three people then emerged from the house, claiming they had nothing to do with the incident, he said.
“They tried to play dumb.”
The man went home to call the police, before returning to see numerous police cars and people from inside the property being arrested. He estimated five adults were handcuffed, while two young teenagers were kept separate from the others by a police car.
The man didn’t see anyone from the house wearing protective gear; however photos later taken at the scene show several people dressed in full-body protective suits, and the fire service had later turned up and begun hosing down the area, he said.
At that point emergency workers had told him to move away or he would also have to be hosed down.
Among the crowd of bystanders, one woman told him a large man who came out of the house had claimed he had lit off fireworks.
He said police officers with guns were still standing guard outside the property this morning.
A woman who lives on nearby Brightwell St said the explosion shook her house. She counted at least eight police cars and could smell burning when she drove past.
Numerous local residents on social media last night also reported hearing a loud explosion before police swarmed the address and closed off part of Ancroft St.
One person said they heard a “big bang, big flash, then a lot of smoke” while another “heard the boom and then a smell like when [an] aerosol is thrown on a fire”.
Another heard the boom from Drury, which is several kilometres away.
A Fire and Emergency spokesman said the fire service was initially requested at the scene but was stood down.
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