Fire and Emergency crews at a fire at National Scrap Metal in Wiri this morning. Photo / Hayden Woodward
Black smoke can be seen billowing into the air in South Auckland after a fire is believed to have broken out at a scrap metal yard.
Fire and Emergency have labelled the fire "significant".
"We were first called just 11 this morning to a commercial site on Hobill Ave.
"We currently have around two dozen crews from around Auckland working on the fire.
"We ask that people stay away from the area.
"If nearby, keep your doors and windows closed.
"All persons at the site are accounted for."
The fire was extinguished at 12.50pm and crews were dampening down hotspots.
Crews are now being released from the fire.
The fire hadn't threatened any other properties, a spokesperson said.
Herald readers have sent through photos of the smoke plumes going across the sky at Wiri.
One resident was driving past and says black smoke is spilling from National Scrap Metal, on Hobill Ave, across the motorway and over towards Papatoetoe.
"I went past about 20 minutes ago and there's thick, black smoke spilling across the motorway towards Papatoetoe.
"But it's not the first time it's happened."
Scrapping cars involved not only fuels and oil, but sparks from cutting landing in the wrong place proved dangerous.
"They do a lot of scrapping of cars in there so you know, there's all the fuels and oils and one spark and it's all over.
"They do a lot of gas cutting, it's metal on metal which creates sparks and you got fuel around, she's all over."
The witness said police had since blocked off several roads.
Fire and Emergency have attended several fires at the premises in recent years.
Six fire trucks were called there in January 2019 fighting a fire late into the night.
The building was well involved with flames when they arrived.
And in 2013, six workers were in the National Steel scrap metal plant when an explosion happened.
The Fire Service believes it was caused when an LPG bottle inside a car being processed blew up.
- More to come
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