More than 50,000 chickens are dead after a blaze ripped through a west Auckland poultry farm in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Three hatcheries were destroyed at Stoney Creek farm on Opanuku Rd in Henderson Valley just before 1:30am.
One hatchery managed to be saved and staff were working to remove the surviving chickens.
A Newshub reporter at the scene said the site "keeps exploding" and fire crews were still dampening down hotspots.
A neighbour described it as "totally terrifying". She and her partner "evacuated straight away".
"It felt like it was coming for us, we thought we were going to be trapped."
"It was booming and popping all night."
Crews at the scene said the owners were "absolutely devastated".
No one has been injured.
Newshub.
