Northland news in brief: Fire at Northport, assault arrest

Fire crews at the scene of a blaze on Northport's conveyor belt system. Photo / Supplied

A fire broke out on the conveyor belt system at Northport and flames spread to adjacent packets of LVL timber.

The Ruakākā Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Refining NZ Emergency Services team put out the fire before it did more damage.

No one was injured and Northport's emergency response procedures worked as designed.

Northport spokesman Peter Heath said the fire was some distance from normal operations, which continued uninterrupted.

He said the cause of the fire, which broke out at 11.10am on Saturday, was not yet known and damage to equipment was still being assessed.

Mower fire
A lawn mower at work at Kaitaia Airport caught fire on Saturday.

Kaitaia deputy fire chief Craig Rogers said grass about 60m by 10m was burned before the fire was totally extinguished, about 3.45pm.

One injured in crash
One person was taken to hospital in a moderate condition and another escaped unhurt after a car rolled in Te Kopuru about 4pm on Saturday.
A fire appliance from Te Kopuru, police, and St John paramedics attended. The injured occupant was taken by ambulance to Whangārei Hospital.
Police are investigating.

Man, 70, arrested

A 70-year-old Auckland man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a staff member at Moerewa's BP petrol station on Friday morning and subjecting him to a tirade of racist abuse.

A Kerikeri police spokesman said the customer was unhappy that water was not provided on the forecourt and became increasingly aggressive, even when provided with a water container, so was asked to leave. He then assaulted the staff member and racially abused him before heading north. He was pulled over by police at Pakaraka a short time later. He was charged with common assault and is due in the Kaikohe District Court on December 10.

Baby named
The baby who died in a crash near Ahipara on Wednesday has been named as Crystal Mary Bryers, aged 3 months, of Kohukohu. The crash was on Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd south of Roma Rd and north of Herekino Gorge when a car went off the road into a drain and hit a culvert. A 10-year-old was seriously injured and the driver, believed to be the children's mother, received minor injuries. An investigation into the crash continues.

Northlanders miss out
No Northlanders won big in the Lotto First Division draw on Saturday.
Three lucky players from Tairua, Lower Hutt and Wellington each won. Powerball was not struck and has rolled over to Wednesday night, where the jackpot will be $8 million.
Strike Four was won by a player from Porirua, who took home $300,000. The winning Strike ticket was sold at Plimmerton Village Grocery in Porirua.
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