Auckland fire: Toxic smoke from scrap metal heap may contain harmful particles

A large fire in a scrap metal heap in South Auckland has sent a “significant” plume of potentially “toxic” smoke billowing across suburbs kilometres away.

Fire and Emergency has extended smoke warnings from the Favona fire to include Greenlane, Ellerslie, Mt Wellington and Penrose due to a change in wind direction, and are asking residents to keep their windows and doors shut, and wear a mask as a precaution while outside.

Niwa principal air quality scientist, Dr Guy Coulson​ said exposure to smoke of any kind is generally bad for you, as it can contain “all kinds of nasties”.

Even woodsmoke has a dozen or more known carcinogens (a potentially cancer-causing substance or agent), and hundreds of other organic compounds of unknown toxicity.

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Without knowing what materials are in the Sims Metal fire, it’s “impossible” to make more than general comments, Coulson said.

The heap may contain parts of cars and other vehicles and refrigerators, Waitematā District assistant fire commander, Gary Lane​ earlier​ said.

“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.”

Fire and Emergency New Zealand district manager Brad Mosby earlier told 1News that composites of plastics mixed with the scrap metal were cause for concern of toxicity.

Coulson said there are two main ways smoke causes harm.

Smoke particles can irritate and inflame the lungs, which can cause respiratory symptoms.

They can also enter the bloodstream and cause cardiovascular problems – “all the way to heart attacks and strokes”, he said.

Then there’s also how toxic or poisonous the compounds in the smoke are.

Coulson said cars and other vehicles have a “complex mixture” of plastics, composites and heavy metals, and may also contain residual oils.

“All of these will be released into the air in a fire.”

Coulson said burning plastics can release carcinogens into the air. Results of exposure to these may not be apparent “for years” – but there are other compounds that are “more immediately harmful”.

Anyone immediately downwind was at risk, and particularly those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions; and how much risk depended on factors like how windy it is, and close they are, he said.

Coulson said people could report smelling smoke as far as 15 kilometres away.

The “toxic smoke” caused the Auckland Train Control Centre at Westfield to be evacuated, before train control was transferred to Wellington and services resumed shortly after 10am.

The Ōtāhuhu train station has been closed due to the toxic smoke in the area, KiwiRail Chief Operations Officer Siva Sivapakkiam said.

A spokesperson for Middlemore Hospital earlier told Stuff they had not had anyone present due to smoke inhalation.

FENZ is advising people to contact their health provider if they are feeling affected by the smoke.