Blaze destroys Tākaka ITM building
A fire destroyed the Tākaka ITM building in the early hours of Thursday morning. Photo: Supplied.
Thirteen crews battled a large blaze at the ITM Building Centre in Tākaka overnight.
Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) says it was alerted to the building fire at 3am this morning and contained the fire by 4:50am.
FENZ Nelson Marlborough district commander Grant Haywood says the fire is out but crews are still on the scene and a fire investigator will be on site today to determine the cause of the blaze.
“The brigades worked really well to contain it and stop it spreading,” he says. “It did spread into the adjacent building which is the PGG Wrightson builiding but crews cut it off there.
He says at the fire’s peak there would’ve been around 40 firefighters battling the blaze from stations based in Motueka, Kaiteriteri, Tasman, Nelson, Collingwood and Tākaka.
Grant says the main street of Tākaka is open for business as normal but they are asking people to “stay away from the site which was ITM”.
“We are also working with TDC at the moment to do some water testing around the run off to ascertain if there's been any impact there.”
He says the fire is a big deal for the community.
“For that community it is. It’s a significant business.”
Waka Kotahi says SH60 near Buxton Lane had been closed since 3:30am this morning due to the fire, but reopened just before 8am.
Tasman District Council (TDC) says the fire may have also led to discharges of harmful substances such as petroleum-based products and melted plastic residue into the nearby Motupipi River.
It says users of its water must immediately cease collection for domestic supply, stock drinking and irrigation.
"Such chemicals are likely to be toxic or harmful to humans, animals and aquatic life, and may have long-lasting effects," TDC says.
"There is a contained area of contaminated water onsite which appears to be slowly evaporating and are currently assessing quantities which have discharged via our stormwater system to the Motupipi River.
"Our staff will be testing the Motupipi River for contaminent levels and warning signage is being organised for Rototai Estuary and beach as a precautionary measure."