South Auckland scrap yard fire: safe to open windows and doors

After 26 hours, firefighters have finally managed to put out the South Auckland scrap yard fire which prompted health warnings and shut down the Auckland rail network.

The 70 by 70 metre metal stockpile that caught fire at Sims Pacific Metal on James Fletcher Drive in Favona was extinguished in the early hours of this morning.

Residents have been advised that it is now safe to open windows and doors and to run air conditioning and ventilation units.​

Although the battle of the blaze is over, Fire and Emergency (FENZ) crews will stay on-site to monitor hotspots.

Distract Manager Brad Mosby thanked those impacted by road closures and toxic fumes surrounding the area for their patience and cooperation.

"We will now work with the property owner to formally hand the site back to them," Mosby says.

An investigation into the cause of the fire will take place.

A history of smoulders

Community leaders had voiced their disappointment and concerns for the impacted Māngere community.

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board chair Reece Autagavaia says he is worried about how the toxic fumes will impact the health of the community.

"I told my son who was going to school to wear a mask when he’s outdoors," Autagavaia says.

"Because we live near industrial areas [and] unfortunately our people traditionally work in those areas, we are the first people to bear the brunt of toxic fumes."

Auckland Councillor Alf Filipaina says accountability needs to be taken especially so other scrap metal places can take note.

"This is just shocking. 70 by 70 metres, I mean gosh," Filipaina says.

"If they've done something wrong then the accountability should be taken."

Speaking to ​RNZ,​ General Manager for Sims Pacific Metal, David Burrows, admitted since 2017 there had been three fires. The first was an electrical fire while the following in 2018 shared similarities with the most recent fire.

He says they have fire breaks around materials, fire monitors and misting systems, as well as handheld fire extinguishers and a water truck on site.

What were we breathing?

Burrows promises a full investigation into the fire but could not determine the cause just yet.

He says that it was unlikely to be arson, and has apologised for the disruption that the fire has caused.

"We're very cognizant of the impact that this has had on the broader community and our neighbours," he says.

"We're very sorry for that disruption and that inconvenience. Our teams are working really hard with local emergency services to bring this under control as quickly as we can to get back to normal."

Burrows says that the stack that was aflame contained "post consumer metals that is shredded and recycled." Examples included whitegoods, roofing iron, bicycles, hot water systems, metal fencing and vehicle parts.

He says that the site did not accept flammables but that some materials in the scrap metal received at the site were problematic.

"One of those in particular is lithium ion batteries and they certainly are a headache for the industry and for other waste handlers."