9 November 2011

Fires are fought under rapidly changing circumstances where decisions need to be made and communicated quickly.

It is rare for firefighters to encounter an incident like the fire at the chicken farm at Lepperton last October. A series of uncoordinated decisions at the fire, combined with the unusual nature of the fire, resulted in two New Plymouth firefighters being seriously injured.

The New Zealand Fire Service has carried out an in depth investigation of what happened, using very senior and experienced personnel from outside the region to provide an independent review and identify opportunities for improvement. This type of investigation is done at the request of the Fire Service National Commander and is part of the organisation's commitment to continuous improvement.

The report recommended a series of changes to some national training material and to the training of individuals and brigades within the New Plymouth area. These have now all been completed.

New Plymouth Area Manager Pat Fitzell said "It is extremely rare for a firefighter to be seriously injured at a fire and we take these events very seriously. A year on, the two men are on track to make a full recovery."

He said the incident was a one-off event and not a sign of any systemic problem within the Fire Service.

The investigation report identified issues relating to the tactical operation and decision-making and those involved have been given relevant feedback and training.

The fire started in highly flammable wood chips about 200mm deep on the floor of a 100m long shed and was pushed through the building by circulating fans. It evolved into a series of small spot fires which grew and spread, causing a lot of smoke but little flame. The changing nature of the fire and the deteriorating conditions combined with a lack of secure water supply contributed to the 'rollover' (when the smoke gases explode) which caused the firefighters injuries.

" We accept that there were a series of errors, both in judgement and in fire fighting. Many of these related to a lack of recognition of the potential for the fire to escalate the way it did. We have made the necessary changes to ensure this does not happen again. In addition, the report on the Lepperton fire has been made widely available within the Fire Service and has been used, and will continue to be used, as a training tool for many other brigades and stations," said Mr Fitzell.

The Department of Labour has also carried out an investigation of the incident and has been working with the Fire Service to implement the changes that were identified.

After discussions between the Fire Service and Tegel NZ, poultry farmers in Taranaki are now encouraged to post a site map of their premises on their letterboxes that shows where water supplies and services are located.

Contact: Karlum Lattimore, National Media Advisor,

0275 918837

04 4963702