Residents to oppose rebuilding of Icepak coolstore

The Tamahere Coolstore fire on the outskirts of Hamilton. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Residents say they intend to use the report into the fatal Icepak coolstore blaze in the Hamilton suburb of Tamahere to thwart any bid by the company to rebuild at the site.

The April 5 blast killed firefighter Derek Lovell and injured seven other firemen.

The Fire Service report was presented to Tamahere residents at the community's school on Tuesday.

Fire Service chief executive Mike Hall told residents about the report's findings which cleared firemen of blame for the fire, stating they had no idea the coolstore contained so much dangerous gas.

Tamahere Model Country School board of trustees chairman Mike Montgomerie said the community did not want the coolstore back.

"We think it's entirely inappropriate to have an installation like that right next to our school," he told the Waikato Times.

One resident Arnold Koppens predicted "civil disobedience" if Icepak was to rebuild.

Tamahere Community Committee chairman Dallas Fisher said local residents would use the Fire Service report as a "building block" and tool to thwart any intentions by Icepak to rebuild its facility, less than 100m from the community's school.

- NZPA