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AN EXPLOSION at a dairy refrigeration warehouse in New Zealand, in which one firefighter died and six others were badly hurt, is thought to have been caused by a propane gas leak.
As Fire Risk Management went to press, a team of fire officers from across New Zealand was investigating the incident at the Icepak Coolstores in Tamahere, a suburb of Hamilton, on 5 April.
Eight firefighters and two appliances had been called to the site prior to the blast after an alarm was raised and gas fumes were reported coming from one of the coldstore buildings.
Reports indicated that the explosion occurred as the personnel approached the building. Senior station officer Derek Lovell was fatally injured and six of his colleagues were seriously hurt.
The blast – which shook nearby residential buildings – quickly developed into a fire, which spread to an adjoining building on the site. Both structures were destroyed.
Firefighters were forced to leave the fire to burn itself out because crews ran out of water to fight the blaze – a result of drought conditions. According to reports, firefighters had to drain local swimming pools to sustain their water supplies.
Investigators say that propane – a highly-flammable gas used as a refrigerant – leaked from the coldstore, although there is currently no indication of what ignited the gas.
In the wake of the incident, Icepak Coolstores has been criticised for its alleged lack of fire safety precautions. Fire officers have also criticised the lack of ventilation in the warehouse.
Icepak Coolstores expressed its distress at the death of Mr Lovell but says it is fully compliant with safety standards.
A report into the cause of the blast and the brigade response is due within three months.
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