False alarm triggers emergency callout

ATVs - all terrain vehicles - can have sensors installed to tell if the vehicle has rolled. Photo/file

Several fire trucks and a rescue helicopter turned out to a remote River Rd location on Wednesday to discover there was no incident to attend.

Whanganui Fire senior station officer Jemal Weston said ATVs - all terrain vehicles such as quad bikes or three wheelers - can have systems installed to sense when the vehicle has rolled.

When this happens, emergency services are sent to investigate.

Mr Weston said firefighters were called out to the Matahiwi track off the Whanganui River Rd, but found nothing.

"The farm manager accounted for all his workers," he said.

Fire trucks from Whanganui, Raetihi, and Ohakune, and the Palmerston North rescue helicopter all attended, but found nothing.

Matahiwi is about an hour up the River Rd, from Whanganui.