Firefighters were called twice to the grounds of Hokianga Hospital in Rawene after a rubbish fire was spread by the weekend's high winds. Rawene Fire Brigade station officer Nopera Pikari said the accidental blaze started about 6.30pm on Friday when embers from a rubbish fire ignited a tree. From there the flames spread into a stack of timber from a recent hospital renovation project. When the brigade arrived, backed up by firefighters from Ōmapere, hospital staff were already working to douse the flames. Firefighters spent about two and half hours at the scene then returned at 7am on Sunday after high winds reignited the wood pile. The hospital was not directly threatened but maintenance sheds on the grounds were. The brigade was planning to return yesterday to talk through safety measures relating to fires in windy conditions.
Artillery shells disposed of
A defence force bomb squad was called to Northland after the discovery of two artillery shells. Police confirmed they were notified of the discovery of the two artillery shells at an old quarry near Ngunguru about 12.30pm on Sunday. A New Zealand Defence Force spokesperson said the Explosive Ordnance Disposal team responded to a request for assistance from police at Tutukaka, where one object was disposed of at the scene and another was removed. They said no further details would be released. Members of the public who find devices that might be explosive should not touch them, and should contact police immediately.
Crash cuts power
Just under 200 households lost power when a car crashed into a power pole near the intersection of State Highway 10 and Oromahoe Rd south of Kerikeri about 6.30pm on Sunday. Senior Sergeant Peter Robinson, of Mid North police, said neither the driver nor the passenger was seriously hurt and were picked up by police as they were walking south from the crash scene. The investigation was continuing but a charge of careless driving was likely. The Kerikeri Fire Brigade was called out for scene protection until Top Energy workers arrived and again at 11.15pm because the lines on the damaged pole were sparking due to contact with trees. A Top Energy spokeswoman said power was cut to 188 customers and restored at 7.25pm.
