Photos: Blaze injures firefighters, smoke plume seen for miles
Video: Coolstore fire burningKEY POINTS:
Fire safety officers will wait for a fatal fire at a Hamilton dairy coolstore to burn itself out before they begin an investigation into its cause.
There is believed to be concern toxic runoff could pollute Waikato River if too much water is dumped directly on the flames.
Northern Fire communications shift manager Steve Smith said the fire, which began with an explosion around 4pm yesterday, was still burning and about 25 firefighters were at the scene.
"The fire is contained and it's being monitored. It's just being left to burn out."
Mr Smith said he did not know how long it would take before the fire was out or for fire safety officers, who were waiting at the scene, to move in.
One firefighter is dead and six others remain in hospital, some in critical condition, following the explosion and blaze at the Icepak Group's Tamahere coolstore.
Senior Station Officer Derek Lovell, who had at least 25 years service, died from his injuries at Waikato Hospital overnight.
Waikato Hospital director of communications Mary Anne Gill said Mr Lovell was well known at the hospital as he and other staff from the Hamilton station took part in a mock rescue during the hospital's summer celebration day from the top of the new eight-storey car park.
The cause of the blaze is not yet known, but the Fire Service said a gas leak might have been responsible.
Journalist Philippa Stevenson, who lives about 150 metres from the blast spot, said today she could see a large plume of smoke coming from the site but the smoke had turned from pitch black to a dark grey.
Neighbouring properties had not been evacuated she said and residents had been allowed to stay in their homes overnight.
The explosion and its fiery aftermath caught Mr Lovell and seven others from his Hamilton-based crew at Icepak Group's coolstore in suburban Tamahere on the southeast outskirts of the city, New Zealand Fire Service corporate communications manager Scott Sargentina said.
The firefighters had gone to the coolstore at 4pm after reports of gas fumes coming from one of the buildings in the complex.
The building exploded as the officers entered, injuring them all.
Waikato Region assistant chief fire office Roy Breeze said the eight men were the crews of two fire trucks that responded to an emergency call after gas or fumes were reported coming from one of the three buildings at the coolstore.
Mr Breeze said the building was a mass of flames after the blast and the fire spread to a second adjoining building, destroying both.
The plant contained gas and flammable substances as well as cheese, itself flammable.
Waikato health authorities told Radio New Zealand the black smoke that was still billowing from the plant on Saturday night was not toxic.
Waikato Hospital this morning updated the condition of the six firefighters who are recovering from the fire.
Waikato Hospital group manager Hayley McConnell said one of the firefighters remained in a critical condition.
The 43-year-old man was transferred to Middlemore national burns unit last night, where he underwent surgery.
A 37-year-old is stable in the Waikato Hospital intensive care unit and was likely to be transferred to the high dependency unit or a ward today, she said.
Two 51-year-olds remain in the Waikato Hospital high dependency unit.
One will remain there and undergo surgery today while the other is likely to be transferred to a ward sometime today.
A 36-year-old is in a ward and is in a serious condition, while a 35-year-old has been transferred to a ward and is in a stable condition.
A 33-year-old was treated in the hospital's emergency department and had been sent home.
- NZPA
