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Ryan Anderson/Stuff
Auckland Central Fire Station’s flag flies at half-mast following the deadly Muriwai landslide.
A second firefighter has died in Cyclone Gabrielle, Fire and Emergency have confirmed.
Craig Stevens was taken to hospital in a critical condition late on Monday night following a landslide in Auckland’s Muriwai.
It comes after the body of volunteer firefighter Dave van Zwanenberg was found on Wednesday. The pair had been trapped in the slip.
“We are still coming to terms with the news that Craig, our second firefighter caught in the Muriwai landslide, has died in hospital,” Chief Executive, Kerry Gregory said.
READ MORE:
* ‘Utterly devastated’: Grieving widow’s tribute to firefighter killed in landslide
* Cyclone Gabrielle: What we know about those who’ve died
* Cyclone Gabrielle: Injured firefighter ‘ready to risk it for the community’, friend says
“All of Fire and Emergency will feel his loss, and my heart goes out to his family.”
A long-time friend of Stevens told Stuff earlier on Thursday it was no surprise he had been risking his life to help people when he was hurt.
Matt Coplon, who has known Stevens for more than 20 years, said news his friend had been risking his life to help others when he was hurt “only makes sense”.
“Of course, that’s exactly what Craig would do,” Coplon said.
Stevens, who grew up in both South Africa and the United Kingdom, had been a volunteer firefighter since 2018.
He had been a freestyle BMX rider for years, which is where he and Coplon met and “immediately became friends”.
“He’s an easily likeable person, a great storyteller, an amazing bike rider, and very protective of both his friends and family.”
Coplon described his friend as “exceptional at everything” and said it made sense he was “ready to risk it for the community”.
Stevens and his wife Lucy originally came to New Zealand on a working holiday, but were still here close to a decade later.
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