Favona fire: Thick smoke billowing from building, residents told to keep windows, doors closed

Favona residents have been told to keep their doors and windows closed as thick smoke billows from a building blaze in the Auckland suburb.

Thick smoke can be seen billowing into the air above the premises in Titi St. The blaze began at a car wrecker’s yard.

The black smoke can be seen from surrounding suburbs. One person in Pakuranga told the Herald they can smell the smoke from there.

Police say the fire broke out in an industrial building just after 10.30am this morning.

Several surrounding roads are closed, with traffic diversions in place.

“We recommend nearby residents keep their doors and windows closed due to the large volume of smoke in the area.”

Fire and Emergency NZ said the blaze was now contained, with eight fire trucks and several support vehicles at the scene.

Incident controller Phil Larcombe said the fire was in a single-storey building used for wrecking cars.

“We ask people to stay away from the immediate area around Titi St to avoid the smoke and to allow emergency teams to work. Those close by should stay indoors with their windows shut.”

The fire has forced the closure of James Fletcher Drive, requiring buses to re-route.

Meanwhile firefighters are also responding to a second, unrelated blaze at a church in Māngere. The church is a three-storey building and crews are working to extinguish a fire in a first-floor roof.

A worker from a truck repair company in nearby Kaka St said the fire was burning in a car wrecker’s yard next door to his company.

He was watching the fire from Kaka St, on a raised bridge over the railway crossing, where he could see fire teams fighting the blaze.

”It hasn’t gone into our premises,” he said.

”They’re starting to get it under control.”