Firefighters battled a blaze at McClintock Motors in Havelock North yesterday afternoon. Photo/Supplied
Firefighters battled a blaze at McClintock Motors in Havelock North yesterday afternoon. Photo/Supplied
A Havelock North car workshop had an unlucky Friday the 13th after a vehicle sparked a fire in the building this afternoon.
Two fire appliances from Havelock North and one from Hastings were called to McClintock Motors on Te Mata Rd at about 4.10pm to help douse the blaze.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand Havelock North senior firefighter (incident controller) Ross Fothergill said the cause of the fire had not been confirmed but it was likely to have been from petrol fumes igniting as a car's fuel tank was being drained.
"We're waiting on the fire investigator to confirm the exact cause."
Firefighters battled a blaze at McClintock Motors in Havelock North yesterday afternoon. Photo/Supplied
Three people were in the workshop at the time and were treated at the scene by St John for smoke inhalation.
When firefighters arrived the occupants were out of the building and were trying to stifle the flames with a garden hose from a neighbouring house.
The building had working smoke alarms and the staff members did the right thing getting out of the building and using the hose from afar, Fothergill said.
Firefighters also did a great job taking over from the workers and managed to put the blaze out in under an hour-and-a-half.
Half the workshop had been damaged from fire, water and smoke but it looked like it was repairable and the garage shouldn't have to be closed for long, he said.
"About 20 per cent of the workshop was fully involved."
The vehicle involved (a small car) was severely damaged but no other vehicles were affected.
Damage from a fire at McClintock Motors in Havelock North yesterday afternoon. Photo/Supplied
Garage fires were much rarer than they used to be because of good fire safety procedures and workshop housekeeping as well as workshops being much tidier nowadays, he said.
"It's just unlucky that it happened here, it was Friday the 13th."
Te Mata Rd did not have to close so there was minimal disruption to locals at rush hour on the final day the school term, he said.
Havelock North Foursquare which is located in front of the workshop was also able to remain open.
An employee who did not want to be named said the shop was not affected and it was business as usual.
