The blaze began near a workshop recycling old whiteware units. Video / Dean Jenkins
A piece of automotive history, a nearly century-old vintage car, has been saved from the flames of a Canterbury fire.
Chris Redmond received a call from his neighbour yesterday morning about a fire on his property in Darfield.
Chris Redmond was alerted by a neighbour to the fire on his Darfield property. Photo / Jazlyn Whales
Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews from Darfield, Darfield South, Kirwee,Sheffield, Coalgate, Cust and other rural areas west of Christchurch, including the city, responded to the blaze.
The fire started just before 10am, destroying three structures and taking down several trees before it was contained around 12.45pm.
Two lucky pigs were unscathed by the fire in Darfield. Photo / Jazlyn Whales
Redmond said it wasn’t until later in the day that the reality of the damage set in.
“I woke up at 1am or 2am and came out here, it just felt like a ghost town,” he said.
The clean-up had started on Wednesday, with a large amount of damaged scrap metal needing to be taken away.
The fire started just before 10am Tuesday, destroying three structures and taking down several trees before it was contained. Photo / Jazlyn Whales
Resident Dean Jenkins said he and others were among the first on the scene when the blaze broke out.
Jenkins described hearing several large explosions while standing about 100m from the fire.
“You could feel it through your body,” he said.
“There were some pretty decent explosions in there. I think it was all the fridges, they have those gas canisters in them.
“It’s pretty impressive.”
Fire crews battling Tuesday's blaze in rural Canterbury. Photo / Dean Jenkins
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson yesterday said they were alerted to a fire in trees at a property near Darfield at 9.59am.
“Thirteen trucks from Darfield, Kirwee, Sheffield, Hororata, Dunsandel, Rolleston, Cust, Coalgate and Christchurch, and one helicopter, are responding.”
