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A firefighter who survived the Tamahere coldstore blaze says he remembers little of the explosion that almost claimed his life.
Dennis Wells celebrated his 60th birthday at home in rural Whatawhata near Hamilton on Friday after being released from hospital the day before.
The station officer told the
Herald on Sunday he felt lucky to be alive after the callout to a private fire alarm at the Icepak site went horribly wrong.
"All I can remember is turning into a little side road and the next thing I remember is, 'What the hell's happening? Who are you guys?' I was at Waikato Hospital."
Wells was in the first fire truck to arrive on the scene, between 4pm and 4.30pm on May 5.
His four-strong crew was just out of the vehicle when it blew up in the explosion.
No members of Wells' crew had major body burns, thanks to their uniforms, but the bang has badly affected his hearing and he broke three ribs. He also suffered burns to his hands, his silvery black hair turned ginger and his eyebrows burned off.
Wells refused to be described as a hero and said people attending a gala at Tamahere School deserved the biggest thanks.
He said the suburb, on the southern outskirts of Hamilton, was relatively wealthy and home to medical professionals.
"When I was in the hospital I met a nurse who told me she helped me out at the scene. When I had my hearing tested, the guy there said he was at the scene, as well. He told me it was the biggest bang he'd heard."
Wells said he didn't know how he could thank members of the public who probably saved a couple of lives.
"They had to move me three times because the fire kept getting bigger. I mean, how can you pick up someone who is all scarred and burnt and bleeding and drag them away. They didn't think once about the risks they were taking."
Wells said that although he was a firefighter he couldn't stand the sight of blood and he was "a real sook" when it comes to pain.
"When I have to go to car wrecks I have to psyche myself into thinking the bloody bodies are just meat. My worse fear is mum and dad are dead and the kids are crying in the back."
Wells has talked to four of the other five firefighters admitted to hospital after the incident and this week hopes to visit Merv Neill, who remains in a critical condition at Middlemore Hospital.
Wells' wife Cathy was in Tauranga visiting the couple's daughter Katrina when she heard about the explosion on the radio.
"They didn't realise I was involved but once they got the message they flew back."
Wells, who is based at Hamilton Fire Station, said he was not angry about what happened - despite the death of his boss and close mate, Derek Lovell.
"I've been in the job for 34 years and I've never been burned once. I've never even had a little burn on my fingers - then I get this."
He said the incident hadn't affected him emotionally because he couldn't remember it. Lovell's funeral left him "devastated".
The self-proclaimed petrolhead almost broke down when he was visited in hospital by V8 drivers Greg Murphy and Jason Richard.
No one from Icepak had visited. "But I had a card from them, and that's fair enough. I don't hold any grudges.
"I feel sorry for them because they'll have a huge bill, a huge clean-up job."
Wells isn't sure if his hearing problem will stop him going back to work. He said the Fire Service had been "unbelievably supportive".
"There's no point being bitter, life's too short and, hey, it could have been shorter."
