Auckland scrap-metal fire extinguished, roads reopened

Smoke coming out of the Sims Pacific Metals fire yesterday in Favona, South Auckland. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Firefighters have extinguished a massive scrap-metal blaze in South Auckland that burned for more than 30 hours.

The 12m-high pile of 1600 tonnes of scrap metal, including old car parts, roofing and tyres, covering an area 100m by 70m, had been burning at Sims Pacific Metals on James Fletcher Drive in Favona.

The fire was reported about 2am yesterday and at its peak had flames "as high as warehouses".

"Acrid smoke" emanating from the fire was reported several kilometres away and could be seen from much of the city.

Smoke could be seen for miles. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Fire and Emergency incident controller Chris Power said the fire was out and crews would dampen hotspots for the next few hours.

"It has been hard, dirty work for the crews," Power said.

"Our firefighters have worked extremely hard, many working through the night and the early hours of the morning to get this blaze under control."

Smoke coming out of the Sims Pacific Metals fire yesterday in Favona, South Auckland. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Yesterday, more than 80 firefighters and 20 fire engines tended the blaze, using an excavator to break up the materials fuelling the flames.

Fire investigators have visited the site and the cause of the blaze is yet to be established.

Little smoke was coming from the site now, but if people had any health concerns they should contact Healthline on 0800 611 116, Power said.

No one was injured.

UPDATE 8:30AM - These roads are now OPEN in both directions, however traffic management remains on a section of James Fletcher Dr so some delays should still be expected in the area. Please avoid this route unless absolutely necessary. ^TP
https://t.co/fw04p6Fhxc

— Auckland Transport (@AklTransport) March 7, 2018

James Fletcher Drive and the surrounding roads have reopened and only the fire area is cordoned off.

There have been two fires in the past 10 months and three in the past 11 years at Sims Pacific Metals.

More than 80 firefighters and 20 fire trucks tackled the blaze that has burned more than 24 hours. Photo / Brett Phibbs

In May 21 last year, 12 fire engines and two aerial appliances attended a large fire at the site that began in a 10m by 10m area at the top of the three-storey building, where metal was crushed and shredded.

In 2007 another blaze at the site was thought to have been started by exploding aerosol cans.

Sims Pacific Metals has not responded to requests for comment about the inferno.

The Companies Office lists one New Zealand director, Hamish McBeath, and three Australian directors for Sims Pacific Metals Limited.

Fletcher Steel owns half of the company.

It is part of the Sims Metal Management Group, an Australian corporation, which has its headquarters in New York.

The corporation's website describes itself as "the world's leading publicly listed metal recycler", and has operations in five continents, including the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.