Business as usual despite massive shed fire

A huge fire that destroyed a 2000sq m machinery and potting shed isn't enough to get in the way of business at a Kaiwaka wholesale nursery.
Yesterday fire investigators were still shifting through the rubble to determine what had caused the fire that rapidly engulfed the steel building belonging to Kauri Park Nurseries beside State Highway One, around 3pm on Wednesday.
Director Laurie Wearmouth said workers had become quickly aware of the fire that started in plastic sheeting material in the shed and while the local brigade had responded within minutes the fire had been too fast for the building to be saved.
"The fire spread amazingly quickly - almost instantly - and it was very hot," he said. Steel beams had melted and concrete had buckled.
He commended the Kaiwaka and Maungaturoto fire brigades for the "amazing job they did with limited resources".
Mr Wearmouth said the Maungaturoto crew working in horrendous heat had prevented the fire spreading to a main administration block metres away. "It's fortunate we had water in a dam on site or the fire would never have been contained."
An aerial monitor from Whangarei had sprayed water on the building for almost three hours to keep it contained. Units from Mahurangi, Ruakaka and Waipu and Auckland also responded.
"They say it is the biggest fire in Northland since the blaze that claimed five Dargaville shops belonging to the Foster family nearly two years ago."
All plants and machinery stored in the shed were lost along with two forklifts, a utility and a car. "The main thing is nobody was killed or injured," said Mr Wearmouth.
The business employs 25 staff who turned out yesterday to help keep the business running with minimum disruption.
The public was still flowing through the gates for the second day of a three-day annual sale. Most plants were unaffected as they were contained some distance from the buildings.
Fire investigator Craig Bain said investigations were continuing.
The building was fully insured.