A man who escaped a large fire in west Auckland described smelling gas in his home before the blaze started, fire investigators say.
The flats - in an industrial area of Glendene, Auckland - were destroyed by the fire. Photo: RNZ / Lauren Baker
Two adjoining flats on Bancroft Crescent in an industrial area of Glendene were almost completely destroyed by the fire on Friday night.
Emergency services were alerted about 9.30pm, and it took 70 firefighters to get the blaze under control.
Fire Service spokesperson Jaron Phillips said the building was engulfed in flames and the fire was within metres of a tank containing LPG when the crews arrived.
It is understood four people were inside the 300 square metre building at the time, including a family, but none were harmed.
Fire investigators at the scene today said they had spoken to the occupants of the building, one of whom escaped with only singed trousers.
They said one occupant told them he remembered smelling gas and, the next thing he knew, there was fire everywhere.
Photo: RNZ / Lauren Baker
Photo: RNZ / Lauren Baker
