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Auckland’s train network is completely down with KiwiRail asked to evacuate its control centre over a huge scrap metal fire in Favona.
The trains are cancelled on Wednesday morning as KiwiRail’s network control centre, located nearby, has been evacuated due to smoke caused by the fire.
Stuff understands King’s College in Ōtāhuhu has been closed for the day with students asked to stay away from the vicinity.
About 28 firefighters remain at the scene of the fire.
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Ricky Wilson/Stuff
Firefighters are fighting a blaze in South Auckland on Wednesday. Residents have been warned to keep doors and windows closed.
Residents had been advised to close all windows and doors for at least the next two hours and to contact their health provider if they had any health issues.
Brad Mosby, Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) district manager, said there’s been a shift in the wind and smoke from the fire is now moving north to include suburbs of Greenlane, Ellerslie, Mt Wellington and Penrose.
South Auckland remains affected by the smoke.
“We’re asking people to take care and keep their windows and doors shut, wear a mask as a precaution while outside.”
An Emergency Message Alert was issued to the neighbourhoods south of the fire at 6am on Wednesday, asking residents to stay away from the smoke and keep doors and windows closed.
Melanie Earley/Stuff
An emergency alert has been issued to residents in south Auckland.
Fenz said the emergency alert had been extended as a result of the wind shift.
It’s not the first time firefighters have been called to this address – with this the third time in seven years.
In 2018, it took firefighters 36 hours to extinguish the blaze at what was then called Sims Pacific Metals. The fire consumed 1600 tonnes of waste material sending toxic plumes of toxic smoke throughout south Auckland.
Just a year earlier, in 2017, 12 fire trucks and two aerial appliances were called to battle a similar blaze.
A spokesperson for the business, now called Sims Metal, declined to comment when contacted by Stuff.
At the scene of this morning’s fire, Gary Lane, assistant fire commander Waitematā District, said the first crews to arrive came across a fire within a lot of metal including car parts and refrigerators.
“Fortunately, all those materials have been drained of dangerous liquids. The only thing we have that is possibly contaminating the smoke are the by-products of burning plastic.”
Ricky Wilson/Stuff
Toxic plumes of smoke can be seen over South Auckland after a scrapyard fire in Favona.
Lane said Fire and Emergency NZ had three diggers going through the debris.
“The plan is to keep separating all that metal and make sure we contain the fire, which we are doing.”
A Fenz spokesperson said crews were called to the scene shortly after midnight and found a pile of scrap car parts on fire.
“On arrival fire trucks found a 70 by 70 metres,10 metres high pile of scrap metal on fire. Up to 30 trucks and support vehicles have attended the incident throughout this morning.”
The spokesperson said the fire is contained to the scrap metal pile, but would be burning for “some time”.
“The smoke plume is significant and is likely to remain that way throughout the day. There are concerns the smoke from the fire is toxic and may affect people in the area.”
Auckland City Council environmental and pollution officers are also at the fire.
Ricky Wilson/Stuff
Three diggers going through the debris in Favona.
Andy Russell living in Māngere East called the stench “horrendous”.
“I woke up to it at about 5.55am. The alert tells you to stay inside, but I see the trains are still coming and going from the station next door which is right next to Middlemore Hospital.”
Russell said it was the most “acrid smell” they’ve ever experienced.
Zac Smith working from his East Tāmaki office said it smelt like “chlorine, like when you clean a pool”.
“But also like burnt rubber – all at the same time.”
A traffic controller said it was likely the road would remain closed “for some time”.
An Auckland Transport travel alert issued after 6am on Wednesday said due to an earlier fire a section of James Fletcher Drive, between beach Rd and Tui Rd, is closed.
“Avoid this area or expect delays with diversions in place affecting all traffic, including bus services.”
Bus route 324 services has been detoured, and 05 bus stops between Savill Dr and Walmsley Rd are affected.
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