Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle

Explosion in Castlecliff, Whanganui being investigated

Whanganui Chronicle
18 Jan, 2022 07:29 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Residents took to social media to talk about the explosion and the orange glow that lit up the sky. Video by Alison Palmer and taken from No. 2 Line.

Fire investigators are looking into the cause of an explosion at a commercial property in Whanganui this morning.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews were called to the property in the Mill Rd/Manuka St area of Castlecliff around 5.30am on Wednesday.

The explosion happened around 5.30am, with locals taking photos of the glow it caused. Photo / Tristian Campbell
The explosion happened around 5.30am, with locals taking photos of the glow it caused. Photo / Tristian Campbell

Residents took to social media to talk about the explosion and the orange glow that lit up the sky. Some reported seeing flames and billowing smoke, and hearing bangs and neighbourhood dogs barking.

Alison Palmer said she was driving along No 2 Line into town when she saw the sky light up in the distance.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Unsure what it was, she pulled over and started recording a video.

"I thought of all sorts of things it could have been."The first thing that came to mind was another eruption in Tonga, but she realised it was a bit too close for that, she said.

A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson said investigators would spend the morning at the scene to determine the cause.

Early indications were that the cause was suspicious. It was not yet clear what had caused the explosion, the spokesperson said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Police said they attended the scene with fire investigators and inquiries into determining what happened were ongoing.

Discover more

Hay shed badly damaged by fire

16 Jan 08:30 PM
New Zealand

'It was a good save': Marton volunteers contain house fire

13 Jan 03:00 AM

Horizons 'allows river to lead' protocols for navigation

17 Jan 04:00 PM

Taihape volunteer fire crew 'excited' by new station

18 Jan 12:00 AM
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui turn to veterans for South Canterbury clash

Whanganui Chronicle

'Long overdue': Vintage vehicle owners welcome WoF rule change

Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Tane Māori impress


Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui turn to veterans for South Canterbury clash
Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui turn to veterans for South Canterbury clash

Whanganui have not beaten the Cantabrians since 2018.

04 Sep 06:00 PM
'Long overdue': Vintage vehicle owners welcome WoF rule change
Whanganui Chronicle

'Long overdue': Vintage vehicle owners welcome WoF rule change

04 Sep 05:00 PM
Whanganui Tane Māori impress
Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Tane Māori impress

04 Sep 05:00 PM


NZ’s convenience icon turns 35
Sponsored

NZ’s convenience icon turns 35

02 Sep 09:23 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP