Fire Service kept busy on ‘hectic’ Guy Fawkes night

Firefighters across the country were kept busy last night and early today with hundreds of callouts to fires, big and small, as a result of Guy Fawkes celebrations.

Police Northern Communications Centre said today that they handled 395 disorder related incidents.

Inspector Andrew Brill of the centre said that was about 30 per cent above the number expected on a normal Saturday night, and slightly higher than Guy Fawkes Night last year when 329 disorder incidents were reported.

In Christchurch, Fire Service Communications Centre shift Manager Brian Sharpe said it was a very hectic night with 266 fire calls.

Mr Sharpe said there were also 412 calls made on the 111 emergency line. Fires were scattered but none were major and there no other major incidents. The centre was still getting the odd call or two today, he said.

In Wellington, Fire Service Communications Centre shift manager Toby Acheson also said today it was a very busy and hectic night.

The centre handled around 415 emergency telephone calls from 7pm yesterday to 7am today. Some of them would have been overflow calls from the Auckland and Christchurch, Mr Acheson said.

He said there was a large scrub fire in Wanganui around 9.30 last night and a large building fire in New Plymouth a little earlier last night.

A blaze, started by firworks, on the top of Mt Victoria in Wellington started around 8.50pm yesterday, just before the official firworks display on Wellington Harbour at 9pm. The fire was brought under control.

There was also a second incident on Mt Victoria today around 3.30am, Mr Acheson said.

Extra firefighters and callout staff had been rostered on for Guy Fawkes around the country.

- NZPA