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Up to 30 people have been evacuated from homes near Auckland’s Southern Motorway, after a truck carrying chemicals exploded into flames in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The motorway has been closed, causing gridlock in surrounding streets.
Fire and Emergency NZ said between 20 and 30 people were evacuated from houses on Harbourside Drive, adjacent to the motorway.
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A truck fire on the Southern Motorway is causing traffic chaos on Wednesday.
Ophaheke local Stacey Madden, 36, said she could hear the “enormous explosions” from her house.
“It woke me up and I honestly through there was army gunfire going on. I got out of bed, and could see the flames clearly from my window.
“There was smoke everywhere. Huge plumes of smoke,” she said.
Madden said the explosions could be heard for about half an hour.
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Traffic was gridlocked in the roads around the crash site before 7am.
The fire happened on the northbound lane of the Southern Motorway, just north of the Papakura on-ramp.
At about 3am on Wednesday, police were advised by Fire and Emergency of a truck fire on the shoulder of the Southern Motorway, northbound just past the Papakura on-ramp.
Police said the truck was carrying highly flammable gas canisters, which had exploded into bushes lining the motorway.
Those people evacuated were given the all clear to begin return home just before 7am.
Police are “strongly advising” that commuters avoid travelling this morning if they don’t need to.
“There are diversions in place but, as commuters will understand, this is going to cause significant delays,” a spokesperson said.
Vanessa Morton/Supplied
Vanessa Morton heard the explosions from her home in Takanini. “It sounded like a dam war zone,” she said.
Vanessa Morton heard the explosions from her house in Takanini.
“It was loud. We could see the brightness in the sky from the flames,” she said. “It sounded like a dam war zone. I’m glad the driver of the truck is safe.”
Chris Murdoch, 49, was one of the Harbourside Drive who was evacuated in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“I was in bed and I heard this massive explosion. It was pretty intense. You can feel the heat,” he said.
Police knocked on Murdoch’s door a little after the explosions started he said, and evacuated his street.
Murdoch and his neighbours took shelter in the local MacDonald’s.
“A pretty crazy morning,” he said.
Explosions and a huge plume of smoke could be seen after the truck crash, which closed a section of Auckland’s Southern Motorway.
Fenz said the fire was large when crews arrived on scene at 3.10am.
The fire has been contained, but large amounts of smoke was still pouring out over the area. At the peak of the fire, 12 fire trucks were in attendance.
Just before 6am there were still eight on scene, Fenz said.
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A view of the truck fire early on Wednesday morning.
The Southern Motorway was partially closed due to the fire.
“Due to a truck fire, SH1 is closed after Papakura,” Waka Kotahi said on its website. “Avoid this area and expect delays.”
There have been no reports of injuries.
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