A scrub fire near train tracks in Plimmerton that has disrupted train services between Wellington and Kapiti will hopefully be cleared by 6pm.

Trains have been suspended while fire crews work to extinguish the blaze, which was reported about 2.45pm just north of Plimmerton.

A KiwiRail spokeswoman said several trains had already been cancelled due to the fire, near Taupo Swamp between Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay.

More services may be cancelled and replaced with buses.

”It’s meant all services are prevented from entering the area while the fire service are attending.”

Northbound trains were being terminated at Porirua, and southbound trains at Paekakariki. KiwiRail were looking to organise buses to detour the fire between these stations.

Fire Service central communications shift manager David Meikle said three fire trucks and a tanker were in attendance.

The fire appeared to be under control, he said.
The Dominion Post – Sam Boyer

ON THE SCENE: A fire engine at the Pauatahanui General Store where a fire broke out in the kitchen today. Phil Reid/FAIRFAX NZ

The historic Pauatahanui General Store – built in 1861 – has been badly damaged by fire.Firefighters were called to the blaze on Paekakariki Hill Rd about 11.30am yesterday.

Porirua senior station officer Barry Murphy said the fire started in a deep frying vat in the back of the building and spread through the ceiling.

It took firefighters about 40 minutes to bring the blaze under control and a further two hours before the fire was totally out.

‘‘There’s a bit of fire damage and the kitchen area is pretty well destroyed,’’ Mr Murphy said.

The tenants of the building were visibly upset and declined to comment.

Diane Boyack, owner of nearby Rural Trading Post said she spotted the smoke and called the fire brigade.

‘‘At first it looked like normal cooking smoke, but I thought it was weird because I know the lady there doesn’t normally cook in the morning,’’ she said.

‘‘Then I could smell the burning fat and I knew something was on fire.’’

She said the tenants were very upset about the fire and in shock, but the community would support them and help them through.

‘‘It’s tragic. It’s been so great to see everyone come down to offer to help them.

‘‘I have a list of people’s names and numbers who just want to know if they can do anything to help the family. We support each other. When they re-open I’ll be over to get my milk.’’

Revvy Love, worker at the neighbouring GroundUp Cafe, ran to the store with a colleague to try and help put out the fire.

‘‘We went over with fire extinguishers,’’ he said. ‘‘When we got there it was thick with smoke and you couldn’t see much at all.

‘‘We tried to spray the bottom of it, but it didn’t help that much. It was already well on fire. It was so thick with smoke we started choking as well so we left.’’

Owner of neighbouring GroundUp Cafe, Darryl Ellis said he was thankful the fire did not spread into his building.

‘‘It was a northerly wind, so the fire was blowing right towards us. We’re just very lucky there was no damage.’’

Police closed the road between Paremata Haywards Rd and Grays Rd until 3pm to assist the fire service.

A fire safety officer will investigate the blaze.

AMY JACKMAN

Greater Wellington regional council is urging people to heed the total fire ban at Porirua’s Whitireia Park after a small fire on the park’s western beach on Sunday.

The driftwood fire flared up in the late afternoon, covering an area of about 20 metres by 30 metres, and was put down by fire crews by 9pm.

“The cause appeared to be a beach fire that wasn’t properly extinguished. In fact, our parks staff had noticed an increase in evidence of beach fires, such as charred driftwood, before the fire on Sunday,” regional council western principal ranger Wayne Boness said.

“After the devastating effects of the February 2010 fire in Whitireia Park, no one wants to see another fire. The risks to nearby residents and the park itself are enormous. That’s why we have a total fire ban at the park – so it’s disappointing that a few are taking a risk that could affect so many. It’s very fortunate that the fire was put out before it spread beyond the driftwood.”

With dry summer conditions he said people should take extra care even in regional parks that don’t have a total fire ban.

“Embers can flare up after you think you’ve dampened them down – you really need to be absolutely sure that there’s no potential for a flare-up. And smokers, make sure your cigarette butts are fully extinguished.”

Stuff.co.nz

Peter Fisher, pictured in April after he was reunited with his dog Kahu. Mr Fisher remains in intensive care after he was assaulted at the weekend. Photo / WTA

Peter Fisher is in a serious condition in Wellington Hospital with head injuries following an incident on Broadway early yesterday morning.

The man accused of assaulting Mr Fisher Fisher appeared in Masterton District Court this morning and was remanded in custody to November 5.

Milton Haira, 25, unemployed, did not enter a plea. He is charged with assault in connection with the early Sunday morning incident in Martinborough and will be kept in custody, by consent, until his next court appearance.

Meanwhile Mr Fisher remains in Wellington Hospital’s intensive care unit where his condition was given as “serious but stable”.

Senior Sergeant Brent Murray said it appeared Mr Fisher had been called to the house by the group of teenagers there, mostly young women, after an unwelcome male visitor arrived.

The group were being supervised by adults and were not thought to be drinking alcohol, said Mr Murray.

An argument erupted and Haira then allegedly assaulted Mr Fisher, though police would not say whether a weapon had been used.

The assault comes less than 24 hours after Mr Fisher led the charge to extinguish a garage fire on Oxford St about 3am on Saturday.

Martinborough fire chief Garry Jackson, who was on his way to Wellington Hospital yesterday, said Mr Fisher had done a brilliant job as officer-in-charge at the fire.

“His conduct at the scene had been outstanding and he was feeling very pleased with himself.”

Mr Jackson said Mr Fisher was a “top man” when it came to fire rescues from cars and had led competition-winning extraction teams.

He said that, although Mr Fisher worked in Wellington on weekdays, he always made it back to Martinborough for the Tuesday night practices and returned on weekends too.

Mr Fisher has been with the Martinborough fire brigade for 22 years.

Wellington Hospital confirmed late yesterday Mr Fisher was in intensive care in a serious condition.
By Don Farmer of the Wairarapa Times-Age, Tessa Johnstone

Fire hose connections have gone missing from across the North Island. Photo / Michael Craig

More than 200 buildings, including the Fire Service headquarters, have been stripped of potentially lifesaving firefighting system parts.Two men appeared in the North Shore District Court last week charged with stealing hundreds of brass fire hydrant connections which were allegedly sold to scrap metal dealers.

Takapuna Detective Sergeant James Watson said police were seeking a third accused.

Ben Williams, 22, and Reuben Timothy Cox, 24 – both from North Shore – have been in custody for three weeks after allegedly being captured on security footage selling hundreds of kilograms of fire inlet valves to scrap metal dealers.

They both face a charge of criminal nuisance endangering public safety and entering various residential and commercial buildings throughout the North Island.

Cox was also charged with possessing a shotgun, explosives and cultivation of cannabis.

Police alleged the men drove around Wellington, Rotorua, Hamilton, Tauranga and Auckland in a white Mitsubishi Delica Light Van.

It’s claimed they wore high-vis jackets while pretending to service the fire hydrants.

Instead, it’s alleged, they removed the connections, which cost the taxpayer $1000 each to replace.

Police said the connections were sold to four different scrap metal dealers for $10 a kg.

“One guy [allegedly] took 120kg in so he made $1000 there, but it’s endangering public safety,” Detective Watson said. He said the illegal money-making operation had been running since February but the inlets weren’t noticed missing until last month.

Insurance company Aon’s technical services manager and engineer, Chris Mak, said the inlet, which looks like a hose nozzle, was used to connect the fire truck’s hose to the hydrant and sprinkler systems.

He said a hydrant system would not work without the inlet valve but the sprinkler system would be able to operate, depending on the size of the fire.

Fire Service spokeswoman Karlum Lattimore said Wellington headquarters had also been hit by thieves but she would not identify other buildings as it was part of a police investigation.

A Waikato Hospital spokeswoman said “greedy metal thieves” had also struck at the hospital.

Waikato police inspector Karen Henrikson said firefighters discovered the first missing inlets during a callout to a fire at a central city shopping complex and the hospital was checked shortly afterwards.

“This has the potential to put not only the lives of firefighters at risk but those of medical staff and patients as well.”

Takapuna police would like to hear from anyone who has seen the van, with registration BUB509.

By Chloe Johnson | Email Chloe NZ HERALD

If most 3-year-olds found themselves struggling to breathe in the early hours of the morning, they’d be crying desperately for their parents.

But Lina Aiono-Te Tau’s mother is deaf, so Lina did the next best thing – she rang 111.

Staff at the Wellington Free Ambulance call centre were stunned when they received a call from the coughing toddler on Saturday morning, telling them she was having breathing difficulties.

Call-taker Jordan Lane said that, when he asked to speak to the girl’s mother, he was told she was deaf and could not speak.

Lina struggled to give him the number of her house, so staff contacted the mobile network provider.

Eventually Mr Lane was able to text Lina’s mother, Stevie Aiono, and confirm where she lived.

Lina, who is believed to be Wellington Free Ambulance’s youngest emergency caller, was taken to Wellington Hospital, where she was treated for croup and a viral infection.

Mr Lane was impressed with how calm Lina had been during the ordeal. “I’ve got a 3-year-old and I can’t imagine him doing it. I asked him where he lived last night and he had no idea.”

In written responses to questions from The Dominion Post, Ms Aiono said she put Lina and her younger daughter, Jahressa, to bed at 8.30pm but was woken by a blue-lipped Lina just after midnight. She was coughing and saying she could not breathe.

Jahressa then started coughing as well and Ms Aiono began panicking, before Lina said she would call 111. She had learnt about the service when firefighters visited her kindergarten.

Her ability to call when sick was amazing, Ms Aiono said.

“I’m very proud of her . . . I knew she would be a very bright girl from the day she came.

“It was hard work raising her, but it was rewarding and I’m proud of how she is now.”

Intensive care paramedic Damian McGlinchey said Lina told him calmly how she made the call.

“She told me she used Mum’s phone to call for an ambulance. She was quite proud.”

Blair Marriott is urging people to give blood. ‘You never think you’ll need blood until you do. You never know what’s going to happen.’ Photo / Mark Mitchell

As Blair Marriott lay in the middle of the road, both arms shattered and looking at half of his leg lying metres away, he knew he would die unless he could stop bleeding.

And without blood transfusions after being rescued, he would probably not be here today.

The firefighter was riding his motorbike around a sweeping bend on a Wellington highway 17 months ago when a young woman drifting in a stolen car slammed into him head-on.

Mr Marriott was travelling at 53km/h, she was doing 84km/h.

“I got smacked into the bumper. I then turned slightly right into the car, which took my leg off below the knee on the right-hand side.

“My head and shoulders went into the windshield, which pushed me about four metres straight up into the air, then I came down with my hands out, which broke my right cranial bone and shattered both my wrists.

“In that same hit, I broke the lower part of my left leg in five places, broke my ankle, split my left femur and broke my big toe.

“I was lying on the ground, then sat up and saw my leg off and thought, ‘That doesn’t look too good.’ It had blood pouring out of it.”

But the only thing that hurt, he said, was his broken big toe.

At the time of the crash, Mr Marriott had spent 14 years in the Fire Service and so as he lay in the middle of the road he knew that if he didn’t do something to stop the bleeding he would die.

He screamed for help and the people who came running found a belt to tie his leg off above the knee.

“I then got someone else’s cellphone and dialled my wife’s number, or rather fiancee at the time … I rang her, I said, ‘I’ve been hit – I’ve lost my right leg,’ and told her to meet me at the hospital.

“Then, because we were getting married within a few months, I said, ‘Sorry, I won’t be able to dance with you at our wedding’.”

Mr Marriott spent four days in intensive care, 42 days in total in hospital and received 14 units of blood.

Doctors were unable to reattach his leg and amputated more of what was left above the knee. He was unable to return to work as a fireman and works in the administration team at the Fire Service’s headquarters.

Now, on World Blood Donor Day, Mr Marriott is urging people to give blood because they never know when they or their loved ones might need it.

“It’s like insurance, you never think you’ll need it until you do – you never think you’ll need blood until you do.

“You never know what’s going to happen.”

Only 4 per cent of adults who are eligible to give blood do so while 42,000 patients are given blood each year.

This month, the Blood Service is desperately looking for 2000 people to register to donate to keep the donor database in steady, good health.

Mr Marriott used to donate quite a lot blood during college, but slowed once he left because he got a number of tattoos and people are not allowed to give blood within six months of being inked. But now, as soon as he’s off medication, he is eager to donate again.

LIFEBLOOD

* About 142,000 units of blood are donated every year.

* Only 4 per cent of eligible adults give blood.

* About 470ml of blood, equal to 1.5 cans of soft drink, are taken at each donation.

* A donation can be separated into several components – red blood cells, platelets and plasma.

* The body will replace fluids lost in 24 hours. Red cells will be replaced in six to eight weeks and people can donate again after three months.

TO DONATE

Register at www.nzblood.co.nz or call 0800 GIVE BLOOD

By Amelia Wade | NZ Herald

Admirable attitude: Former Porirua firefighter Blair Marriott is philosophical about the loss of his leg in a road accident 18 months ago.

Eighteen months after he lost his leg in a road accident, former fireman Blair Marriott is ready to get back on his bike.

The 39-year-old Paraparaumu man, who spent 15 years in the Porirua and Johnsonville fire service, took delivery of a Vespa last week, which about sums up his attitude toward the accident which claimed his right leg – life goes on.

On December 3, 2010, Mr Marriott was driving his motorbike at 53 kilometres an hour in an 80km/h zone on Paraparaumu’s Otaihanga Rd, when 18-year-old learner driver Natalia Berkland crossed the centre line in a stolen, modified, unwarranted car, and ploughed straight into him. His leg was torn off on impact.

“When I sat up it was lying over there and I thought `oh, that doesn’t look good’,” Mr Marriott says.

The crash also broke his left leg in five places along with his left ankle and big toe, and smashed both his wrists.

As a fire fighter Mr Marriott knew exactly how to handle the accident, and kept a cool head.

“I started screaming and then decided to do something,” he says.

He got a bystander to hold a cellphone to his ear while he rang fiancee Allana and told her to rush to Wellington Hospital.

“I said, I’m sorry but I can’t dance with you at our wedding.”

Doctors amputated a further six inches from above Mr Marriott’s right knee.

“I said if it was going to be useless get rid of it. There’s no point struggling through life with a gammy limb.”

The couple married on February 22 last year, Mr Marriott still in a wheelchair. During the ceremony he noticed his firefighter colleagues looking nervously at their cellphones – Christchurch’s devastating earthquake had just struck.

“The worst thing about that was I couldn’t assist. I would have volunteered in a heartbeat,” Mr Marriott says. “Everything was taken. I miss the guys, I miss the camaraderie. I miss driving a fire truck too fast.”

Fifteen months after the crash Mr Marriott started a new job in the Fire Service’s payroll department. He learned to walk with his artificial leg, slowly and painfully, and can do pretty much everything he did before the crash, just a bit more slowly.

Ms Berkland was disqualified from driving for two years and received six months’ home detention (at night only).

“You can be bitter and angry about it but what’s the point, you’d just be bitter and angry,” Mr Marriott says. “Life can be funny sometimes.”

Kapi-Mana News

Life Interupted – From FIRE-RESCUE

Click the link above to see a story from the May 2012 FIRE+RESCUE magazine about Firefighter Blair Marriott.

Click HERE to download Adobe pdf reader.

Full magazine available at www.fire.org.nz

Firefighters spent about an hour today fighting a “nuisance” fire that spread to about 300 square metres in a Porirua park.

Porirua senior station officer Trevor Sheehan said gorse and scrub was “obviously deliberately lit” beside a track leading through Bothamley Park at about 11.30am.

Three fire trucks took more than an hour to contain and dampen down hot spots, up a very steep bank in an area about 200 to 300sqm, he said.

“We’re getting them all the time in there.”

There was nobody around when firefighters arrived, but they received several calls from nearby residents reporting the fire.

Mr Sheehan warned people to be alert, especially during the school holidays.

“Be aware of your neighbourhood and be alert. These people are going to pop up everywhere.”

@Fairfax NZ News – JODY CALLAGHAN