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Fire and Emergency crews have extinguished a large rubbish fire in Waiuku and are preparing to hand the site back to the owners as investigators work to determine the cause.
The blaze, which involved plastic set aside for recycling, broke out just before 11pm on Monday at a commercial site on Kitchener Road.
Police say they are treating the fire as suspicious.
A nearby business told the Franklin Times the fire occurred at Future Post at Waiuku Business Park.
A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said specialist fire investigators will now work alongside police to establish how the fire started.
“Thank you to our crews who worked throughout the night to extinguish the fire,” FENZ said.
Earlier smoke warning lifted
Residents were initially urged to keep windows and doors closed this morning due to heavy smoke and to avoid using home or vehicle ventilation systems. People going outside for essential reasons were advised to wear a mask or cover their nose and mouth.
FENZ now says the smoke risk has lessened and it is safe for residents to open windows and go outside without a mask. However, anyone experiencing respiratory issues should contact Healthline on 0800 611 116 or seek medical attention if they have breathing difficulties or chest pain.
Major response from across Auckland
Fire crews from 16 districts around the Auckland region responded to the blaze, which continued to smoulder into the morning before being fully extinguished.
The Waiuku Volunteer Fire Brigade says Kitchener Road is now open.
FENZ is asking the public to stay clear of the area and follow directions from firefighters and police.
Reservoir nearly emptied by firefighting effort
Watercare issued an alert at 9.15am warning that the firefighting response had almost drained the local reservoir, which supplies drinking water to Waiuku.
“As you’re probably aware, there was a fire at a recycling facility last night and the fire response drained the local reservoir which supplies your drinking water,” Watercare said.
“The reservoir is currently sitting at 3% full and we have four tankers working to refill it. Until we can get it back to the normal level, please refrain from using unnecessary water where you can – running the dishwasher, washing machine, and try to keep your showers short.”
Watercare thanked residents for their patience as crews work to restore normal water levels.
Investigation underway
FENZ says the cause of the fire is not yet known. Specialist investigators and Police will remain at the scene throughout the day.
Police say they are treating the fire at the Kitchener Road business as suspicious and have launched an investigation.
“The blaze, reported at about 11pm, caused no injuries, and a scene guard remains in place ahead of a full examination later today,” police said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Police via 105 or online using reference number 251125/6093, or provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
