Factory blaze linked to burst oil pipe

A burst hydraulic oil pipe was the likely cause of a fire which caused millions of dollars worth of damage to a Taupo fibreboard factory.

Fletcher Building's Laminex Group MDF factory in Centennial Dr caught fire last week, destroying 75 per cent of the fibreboard plant.

It took more than 50 firefighters from Taupo, Rotorua, Hamilton and Kinloch to get the oil- fuelled fire under control.

The fire service has been investigating the blaze since last week but has struggled due to the amount of oil in the burnt out factory.

Chief fire officer Wayne Bedford said fire safety officers had found a broken pipe that supplied oil to the presses, and believed it was the most likely cause of the fire.

"It appears that a pipe fractured and came apart, spewing oil into the pit and igniting."

Mr Bedford said burst hydraulic oil pipes were not uncommon as the oil was under a lot of pressure and could cause the pipes to crack.

"They can go, and when they do it can be quite catastrophic," he said.

Fire safety officers still had to finalise their report but Mr Bedford said the cause was unlikely to change.

Meanwhile, a decision has yet to be made about the future of the factory.

David Worley from Fletcher Building's laminates and panels division said insurance evaluators and engineers were still assessing the damage and a decision would not be made until the end of the month.

He said staff and unions would be the first to know when a decision had been made.

Mr Worley was pleased the fire service had determined the cause of the fire.

The total cost of the damage is still uncertain as it is not known if the press can be repaired. Previously, it was reported that $50 million worth of damage was caused.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)