Massive fire rips through Auckland factory

(FireComms/Twitter)
(FireComms/Twitter)

The west Auckland plastics factory destroyed in a massive blaze overnight did not have any sprinklers, the fire service says.

At the height of the blaze at Total Plastics in Henderson 100 firefighters were called in, train services were halted and Civil Defence was urging nearby residents to stay indoors.

The fire is being treated as suspicious.

Emergency services were called to the Aetena Pl property around 9pm last night. Shortly after, 26 crews were on site, including four aerial units with large ladders.

Henderson senior station officer Chris Delphic says the business was ill-prepared.

"This building didn't have a sprinkler system in it ... and those are always helpful for us to get in early when the fire is at its early stages."

Assistant area commander John Booth was one of the first to arrive.

"I would have arrived here less than 10 minutes after the first call and the factory was on fire end-to-end."

Fallen power cables, explosive debris, water run-off, dense smoke and unknown chemicals were just some of the extra hazards firefighters were dealing with.

"Also it's a car dismantling workshop, so we've got cars, car bodies, probably petrol tanks."

Mr Booth says they were lucky the fire didn't spread.

"There were multiple explosions as we were getting to work, sending large clouds of sparks into the air."

For those living close to the blaze it was a frightening night.

"At first it sounded like fireworks going off, but then when they sounded like double mighty cannons; the noise was atrocious," local Veronica told Newshub.

"Then the flames and the smoke and everything was really, really bad."

Massive fire rips through Auckland factory

Residents were asked to stay inside and close all windows and doors as smoke and fumes from the plastics spread to neighbouring streets.

A large number of crews worked through the night; however, the operation has been scaled down to four crews.

Massive fire rips through Auckland factory

One of four aerial units used to battle the fire (Newshub.)

Those crews were monitoring the fire from the outside and will move into the building to dampen down any hot spots on Wednesday.

Despite this, the fire service says it is safe for people to "carry out their normal daily activities".

Heremai St and Aetna Pl remain closed.

Firefighters say the cause of the blaze is suspicious and they've called in specialist investigators.

Newshub.