News Story
Today's early morning 3rd Alarm response to Brown Street, Ponsonby, has left an elderly woman dead, along with a number of her small dogs. Her house was badly damaged by the blaze. Firefighters from nearby Ponsonby Station were first on the scene - they found the house already engulfed in fire and spreading to the next door neighbour's. After what a fire officer describes as a "gruelling search" through the smoke-filled house, firefighters found the woman's body and a number of dead dogs. Our members were kept busy at the scene with traffic and scene management, lighting, command point and general fireground duties. Members also responded in the mobile canteen to provide on-site refreshments at the long-duration event. It was the second serious fire attended overnight. The other was in Mangere East, a blaze in one of a three-unit Housing New Zealand block on Massey Road. At this call it was also thought persons may still be in the burning building but fears were unfounded: the family arrived on the scene soon after to find their home badly damaged.
