More asbestos found at central Auckland fire station

Photo / RNZ / File / Rebekah Parsons-King

By RNZ

New testing has found a third lot of asbestos at Auckland’s main fire station.

The first contamination - that shut down the country’s busiest station on the Thursday before Anzac Day - and the second discovery last weekend, were in the northern wing.

Now, 50 samples in the southern wing have identified asbestos in three places - a meeting room and two offices.

Fire and Emergency (FENZ) said the find was of white asbestos.

Also called or Chrysotile, it is the least dangerous kind.

“We have advised the staff who have been working in these locations, which have been secured,” the Deputy Chief Executive Organisational Strategy and Capability Development Sarah Sinclair said in a statement on Friday night.

FENZ was now seeking further expert advice and working with specialists on the next steps in its investigations.

Last weekend, independent surveyors found six lots of “high-risk” asbestos in the roof cavity in the ceilings above bedrooms in the northern accommodation block.

A 90-minute meeting with fire-fighters on Friday laid out decontamination efforts planned for coming days, though it remains unclear if FENZ intends to clear the roof cavity.

The Professional Firefighters’ Union said its members would not use the station again until that was done.