A gas bottle explosion inside a work vehicle left two people injured and set the vehicle ablaze in Christchurch this morning.
Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) said it received reports of a car fire in the suburb of Hornby just after 9.30am on Monday.
On arrival, firefighters located a work vehicle containing gas bottles ablaze on Waterloo Rd.
“One bottle was involved in the explosion which set the vehicle on fire,” a FENZ spokesperson said.
“The area was secured, and crews monitored the situation to ensure safety.”
Two FENZ crews from Spreydon and Wigram responded, with a command unit from Wigram attending to assess gas levels.
Police responded to assist the closure of Waterloo Rd between Racecourse Rd and SH1/Carmen Rd.
Several gas bottles were removed from the vehicle and firefighters awaited the arrival of specialists from industrial gas company BOC to assist further.
St John said it responded with two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle.
“Two patients were assessed at the scene, with both transported to Christchurch Hospital in a moderate condition,” a St John spokesperson said.
WorkSafe said it had been notified of the incident and was currently making inquiries to determine next steps.
