A fire to REMEMBER.

On Saturday the 5th of April, 2008, I was going about my weekend job, scanning groceries, handling grumpy customers, all while being in what I like to call "a supermarket daze". I got a text from my friend saying something about a fire and how there was smoke over the city. Interested as I was, I couldn't ask what she was talking about since I was working. So I kept working, desperate to get outside before dark so I could see the smoke. Thanks to the lack of daylight savings at this time of the year, I knew darkness would blanket the city well before I would leave the building.

Then a customer came along and said something about a fire. Since I only had this half of the story already, I pumped the customer for information because I wanted to know where the fire was. He said it was out at Tamahere, by the airport. Information kind of poured in after that, thanks to various customers who were in the know since they weren't stuck behind a checkout. I found out that it was at the IcePak Coolstore and that fire fighters were badly injured and fire fighters were missing. It wasn't sounding good to say the least.

The next day, April 6th, the fire was all over the news. It was on the Australian news as well. It was an absolute fielday for reporters. The fire made the front page of every newspaper and the pictures showcased bloody injuries that might make someone with a weak stomach throw up. But it was effective and it really hit close to home. It was revealed that the fire was caused by an explosion due to flammable gas. The fire killed senior station officer Derek Lovell and injured seven other fire fighters. As if that wasn't sad enough, the maddening thing was the report released just last month. The report found that there was no smell of gas before the explosion and no signs warning that flammable gas was present. If there had been then fire fighters would not have entered the coolstore. The Fire service also had no prior notification that hazardous substances were at the premises.

Icepak wanted to rebuild on the site but the community wouldn't have a bar of it. The coolstore site is now for sale and Icepak are facing charges. The community have every right to oppose the rebuilding of the coolstore because they are the ones that suffered after the explosion. One resident's window was broken due to the shock waves of the blast and for weeks after the explosion the area stunk of the cheese that burned in the coolstore. The nearby school had to be closed and it's no surprise that the gas in the air raised potential health hazards.

The reason I wanted to write about this is because I really feel passionate about it. I was completely enraged at the report's findings and the obvious measures Icepak could have taken to prevent this tragic outcome. Derek Lovell had been serving in the line of duty for 25 years. He died in Waikato Hospital at around 11pm, April 5th, as the coolstore fire continued to blaze into the night. He had a baby daughter. He didn't deserve to die. I was there the day all his colleagues gathered to give him the send off he deserved. The road was closed and people gathered in the hundreds for a procession like no other. Firemen were all in their best suits, fire trucks littered the scene, a helicopter flew overhead and Derek Lovell's body rode on the special 1938 vintage fire engine known to all firefighters as "38". It was a very emotional moment and really touched me. I think that's partly why I feel so saddened by Derek Lovell's death, even though I didn't know him personally.
Walking past the fire station days after, I saw the pile of bouquets that the public had placed in front of the station in honour of Derek Lovell. It was just really beautiful.

Icepak should feel completely responsible for, what I feel, was the murder of Derek Lovell. This fire taught me about the importance of living each day as if it's your last. It also reminds us of how much the fire fighters do for this community. Everytime there's a fire, they put their life on the line to protect us. Is there any greater act of heroism? I would hope that April 5th will become as memorable as September 11th, especially for Hamiltonians. I can't remember there ever being a disaster this close to home.