It is with profound regret the New Zealand Fire Service advises that Senior Station Officer Derek Lovell has died from injuries sustained in an explosion and fire at a cool store facility in Tamahere on Saturday afternoon.

SSO Lovell, along with seven others from his Hamilton based crew, responded to the incident at 4pm on Saturday after reports of gas fumes coming from one of the buildings in the complex. Whilst making entry into the facility, an explosion occurred that injured all eight firefighters. Derek Lovell was critically injured in the blast along with two of his colleagues and died later in Waikato Hospital. His two colleagues are still listed in a critical condition and four others are in a serious but stable condition. One firefighter has subsequently been discharged.

National Commander, Mike Hall, is in Hamilton today extending his sympathies to Derek's family on behalf of the entire organisation. The Fire Service will be providing full support and assistance to Mr Lovell's family and to the other firefighters and their families involved in this tragic incident.