Fire crews battle ongoing Tasman fire, while residents avoid chemical building site after blaze

Firefighters and four helicopters are working on a fire burning on conservation land on the northern side of the Shenandoah Saddle in the Tasman District. Photo / FENZ

Firefighters across the Tasman region hope to make further progress on a rural scrub fire that is yet to be contained, after battling a fire in a chemical building this morning.

Residents have been told to avoid the street of the chemical building in Nelson, while the site is decontaminated.

Fire and Emergency confirmed it was called to the site of the fire at 6.15am on Elms St, an industrial road in Stoke.

It’s unclear what the extent of the fire’s intensity was, however, Fire and Emergency shift manager Daryl Ball confirmed it was a second alarm call-out.

“The job came in as an alarm activation, the guys that arrived discovered the fire,” he said.

Six appliances and a command unit were still at the premises at 8.30am in a precautionary capacity.

Fire and Emergency confirmed it was called to the site of the fire at 6.15am on Elms St, an industrial road in Stoke. Photo / Rafael Ben-Ari

Firefighters are now decontaminating the site, as it’s understood a small amount of chemicals were at the scene of the blaze.

Until the decontamination process is complete, residents have been told to avoid the road.

“It depends on what’s involved,” said Ball, when asked how long residents will need to avoid the site.

“How long is a piece of string? If it’s decontaminating the crews, they’ll need to go through a shower process, if it’s for the premises then we don’t know at this stage.”

While decontamination is carried out, firefighters have set up a cordon around the intersection of Kotua Pl, south of Elms St.

Meanwhile, Tasman firefighters will remain at the site of the ongoing scrub fire south of Murchison.

The blaze, which is roughly 140km south of Nelson, has been burning out of control since Monday - when it was discovered shortly after 11am.

Firefighters will remain at the site of the ongoing scrub fire south of Murchison. Photo / Google Images

At this stage, four helicopters carrying monsoon buckets are working away to dump fire-dampening chemicals on the scrub fire in an effort to contain it.

Ball said the service currently has ground crews in support of aerial, with three trucks and a couple of air support managers.

The trucks have been called in from Nelson City, a Tasman crew from Motueka and a crew from Lake Rotoiti.

“We’re just making sure everything is controlled,” said Ball.

“It’s one of those long-process jobs, we’re not sure about the cause yet.”

Fire and Emergency told NZME earlier that a crew had been monitoring the fire overnight, and good conditions have helped keep the fire well-contained.

The trucks have been called in from Nelson City, a Tasman crew from Motueka and a crew from Lake Rotoiti. Photo / FENZ

The fire is right next to State Highway 65, between Murchison and Springs Junction, a “beautiful patch of land” from the highway onto the hills, according to Ball.

It has involved a large section of native bush.

When asked if motorists are at risk, Ball said Fire and Emergency had stop-and-go signage yesterday.

“But that was more in relation to making sure the crews weren’t being impeded.

“It’s a narrow stretch of land with no parking on either side, so they had a stop-go system for that.”

Ball said the system is continuing today, which will likely cause delays for motorists travelling through the area.