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In the midst of the tragedy, there were acts of kindness as those near the scene of the devastating blaze came to terms with what had happened.
Tamahere Model Country School student Jordyn Coxhead, 9, brought a basket of freshly made chocolate chip muffins for firefighters, who had been working shifts of long hours in the hot sun. He said he and his mother made the muffins while school was closed due to the smoke drift.
"We just wanted to say thank you," he said.
A woman had brought a bag of apples which she picked from a tree on her property.
At Hamilton fire station, where Derek Lovell was based, bouquets of flowers were being left behind with messages to the firefighters, their families and colleagues.
Firefighters who will graduate on Thursday from the 12-week training course at the national training centre near Rotorua held a minute's silence in front of the tributes yesterday.
Centre manager Geoff Purcell, who coincidentally began in the Fire Service on the same day 25 years ago as Mr Lovell, told the Herald the 23 recruits had visited the scene after being briefed on the dangers of the job they will begin in two weeks.
Three of the firefighters set to work in Hamilton are to be carefully watched as part of the many welfare checks that have come into play since Mr Lovell died.
"It's a wake-up call to them and there's a reason we tell them to do things and we train them to be professional," Mr Purcell said.
Members of the public - many of whom did not know the firefighters personally - paid their respects at the station.
One message read: "We appreciate your efforts and the terrible sacrifice made." Another simply said: "Our thoughts are with you."
Hamilton woman Liesel Pellissier left a bunch of sunflowers at the station.
She didn't know any of the firefighters personally but felt sympathy for them and their families.
"I just think it's so horrible what happened, it's just so sad. They were just doing their job. It was such a horrible accident."
