A massive blaze, now confirmed extinguished, tore through a recycling facility in Waiuku, Auckland, on Monday night, prompting a major emergency response and an ongoing police investigation into its suspicious origins. Over 60 firefighters, supported by 16 fire trucks, battled the inferno at the Waiuku Business Park, where an estimated 5000 square metres of plastic and six shipping containers were consumed by flames.
Emergency Response and Containment
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) was alerted to the incident around 11 PM on Monday. Crews worked tirelessly through the night, successfully containing the fire by 5 AM on Tuesday morning. FENZ later confirmed the blaze was fully extinguished, and the site has since been handed back to its owner. A FENZ spokesperson expressed gratitude to the dedicated crews and reassured local residents that it was safe to open doors and windows and go outside without a mask.
Arson Suspected at Future Post Facility
The owner of Waiuku Business Park, Sam Wulff, revealed that part of the industrial lot was leased to Future Post, a company specializing in converting waste plastic into fence posts. Wulff was profoundly shocked and described the situation as "gut-wrenching" to learn that the fire is likely the result of arson. He emphatically stated, "There's nothing that would naturally have caused a fire." He received a call from the fire chief at 1:30 AM, indicating the seriousness of the situation, and immediately drove from Tauranga to assess the damage.
Police have established a scene guard and are working in conjunction with FENZ to determine the precise cause of the fire, with examinations scheduled for later on Tuesday. The suspected deliberate nature of the incident adds a criminal dimension to the devastating loss.
Significant Loss and Business Impact
The materials destroyed, primarily waste plastic earmarked for recycling into fence posts, are estimated to be worth tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars. Wulff lamented, "Now it's all just turned into ash." While Future Post's main recycling facility, located approximately 200 metres from the affected storage area, was fortunately unaffected, the destruction represents a substantial setback for the company.
The blaze also impacted neighbouring businesses. Sprint R-E Engineering, an auto shop next door, reported on Facebook that its property was inaccessible, and power had been cut. The carpark in front of the business park, which was also laden with plastic fence posts, had caught fire. The auto shop's post extended immense gratitude to the fire crews for their efforts.
Earlier, residents in the immediate vicinity were advised to stay indoors and keep doors and windows shut due to the thick smoke billowing from the site. This advisory was lifted once the situation was under control.