Flames attack a Kiwi success (+photos)

About 60 firefighters battled to stop the blaze spreading from the rear part of the Rayglass factory in Pakuranga. Photo / Alastair Ritchie

Have you seen the fire?
Send us your photos

Part of a Kiwi success story's factory went up in flames late last night.

Emergency services were called to a fire at Rayglass Boats' Pakuranga site at 9.21pm.

The blaze - which one witness said was about 30m by 30m in size - was punctuated by explosions.

Ben Lomond Crescent, where the factory is located, was cordoned off and neighbours were warned to stay inside.

Nearby resident Jewels Annabell said: "It lit up orange over the top of the factory ... The first thing we saw was a plume of black smoke."

The business was sold to the US marine giant Brunswick last year in a deal believed to be worth $31 million.

Its Protector rigid-hull inflatable boats were used as runabouts in America's Cup regattas and in the Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg-produced HBO mini-series The Pacific.

The Big Wednesday lottery's prize list includes a Rayglass Legend 2500.

In a television advertisement for a bank, company founder Tony Hembrow tells how he talked his wife into living in a factory when he started the business. Last night, Mr Hembrow told the Weekend Herald: "It's the back bit of the factory ... so I think we'll be okay. And it's one plant - that's the good part of having several."

The factory was fully insured.

Auckland Fire Service shift manager Colin Underdown said the street was cordoned off and the scene treated "cautiously" as it was likely chemicals were kept inside the building.

Mr Underdown said it was too soon to know how the fire started.

Mr Hembrow said the blaze would affect the lives of 40 workers at the plant.

"They've got mortgages to pay and groceries to buy - that's the really sad part," he said.

Manukau chief fire officer Larry Cocker said up to 60 firefighters worked to contain the blaze to the site's manufacturing section.

Mr Cocker said some finished boats were able to be saved from the flames, and as much as possible was wheeled out of the building.

It is not the first time the company has been hit by fire.

In 1995, a fire destroyed the Pakuranga factory and for several months production was shifted to locations throughout the region.