The major fire that has ravaged the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) construction site for almost two days is now under control, according to Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
The fire started on the roof of the Auckland venue on Tuesday, 22 October 2019, and continued well into Wednesday.
Area commander Richard Twomey spoke to media on Thursday morning, saying “we’re in a good space” after firefighters managed to contain the fire at around 7am Auckland time.
He said the fire is smouldering, however winds are causing occasional flare ups.
“We’re in a better place than yesterday,” he said.
Up to 75 firefighters are still working at the scene this morning, with crews now attempting to remove roofing iron in order to dampen any potential hotspots.
Listen to Incident Controller, Richard Twomey and Inspector Scott Gemmell, who provide an update on the current status of the Auckland SkyCity Convention Centre fire and the cordons in place. @nzpolice pic.twitter.com/1OWokj8gFJ
— Fire and Emergency New Zealand (@FireEmergencyNZ) October 23, 2019
Several treated for injuries
Local ambulance service St John confirmed two firefighters were treated by medical staff this morning, with one transported to hospital in a “moderate condition”.
It comes after three people received medical treatment on Wednesday.
Twomey said firefighters are being rotated regularly and fatigue levels are being monitored.
Basement flooded, cars underwater
Twomey confirmed there are a total 400 cars parked inside the building, some of which are now underwater.
“There’s so much water in the building, it has to be going somewhere,” he said.
“They will use commercial pumps to drain the water.”
NZICC team reacts
The team at NZICC has responded to the incident via LinkedIn, saying they are saddened by the news.
“SkyCity and the NZICC teams are working closely with Fletcher’s [sic] and the Fire Service to gather as much information as possible and to assess the situation and the damage,” the statement read.
“This is devastating for all of the team, our partners and everyone who has contributed to the creation NZICC. We want to acknowledge the bravery and hard work of the New Zealand Fire Service and the New Zealand Police.
“Please know the team are committed to opening a world class convention centre in the future and we thank everyone for their patience and understanding during this time.”
