Tonnes of molten glass leak from furnace

Dozens of firefighters and up to 15 vehicles were sent to an Auckland factory when tonnes of molten glass seeped from a furnace.

Managers at the ACI Glass Packaging plant in Penrose estimate that 80 tonnes of glass heated to 1600 deg C oozed from the furnace when blocks in its walls split open at 11.30 am yesterday.

Sales and marketing manager Mike Needham said staff were working on the furnace when the leak started, but nobody was hurt because the glass moved slowly.