Residents were left shaken after a massive chemical truck blaze on Auckland's Southern Motorway sent debris into their properties. Video / Hayden Woodward
A section of the Auckland motorway will be closed tonight so road workers can make urgent repairs after a massive fire engulfed a chemical truck on Auckland’s Southern Motorway in the early hours of this morning.
The northbound lanes near the Papakura (Beach Rd) Interchange were closed for nearly seven hours earlier today due to the fire.
To make urgent repairs on the road a full northbound closure with traffic management will be in place from Papakura to Takanini from 7pm tonight until 5am tomorrow, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has advised.
Expect a few closures across Auckland's motorway network tonight, including #SH1 Silverdale to Puhoi (both directions) & #SH16 St Lukes Rd to SH1/SH16 links (eastbound). Check our website: https://t.co/tV9ayPtqMT to plan your late-night journey. ^CO pic.twitter.com/fPxaHiaqFI
— Waka Kotahi NZTA Auckland & Northland (@WakaKotahiAkNth) March 8, 2023
Motorists will be detoured via Beach Rd and Great South Rd.
“While we appreciate this is an early closure and will affect motorists travelling home this evening, the extent of damage means we need to start as early as possible to avoid disrupting peak hour traffic tomorrow morning,” a Waka Kotahi spokesperson said.
Witnesses to the incident described explosions like “gunfire” and flames as high as 50m, resulting in 15 homes and up to 30 residents being evacuated. The fire has since been extinguished after an hours-long battle by emergency services.
Mainfreight’s managing director Don Braid said the Chemcouriers truck was carrying cans of aerosol paint from Rotorua to Auckland. The driver escaped unharmed and the cause of the explosion was under investigation.
Papakura resident Steven Shortt said he was woken by several explosions just before 3am, after the truck caught fire in a northbound lane, just north of the Papakura on-ramp - and near his house.
The burning truck that has forced the evacuation of homes near a section of Auckland's Southern Motorway. Photo / Hayden Woodward
“Some of the explosions were massive. Flying fire projectiles were getting thrown into our front lawn. Cars are covered in ash across the whole front. There were burning embers across our front lawn. It was pretty crazy, man.
“I’ve never in my life seen anything like that before. The whole upstairs of the house is hot against the windows. The explosions you could feel from across the road, the heat and the impact. It was like a war scene.”
Shortt said the rear carriage of the truck was destroyed in about 10 minutes and the rest of the truck about 20 minutes later, amid repeated explosions.
Other Auckland motorway network closures tonight include SH1 from Silverdale to Puhoi in both directions and SH16 from St Lukes Rd to SH1/SH16 links (eastbound).
