Penrose Substation: Oil Spill Detected After Fire

Auckland Council is currently assessing the extent of an oil spill that emerged after a large fire at a Vector electrical substation in the Penrose suburb. The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon, generating a black plume of smoke visible across the city. Council team leader compliance Kevin Reeve stated that the agency is working with the Harbourmaster and Fire and Emergency New Zealand to determine the discharge area and manage the cleanup. Reeve noted that pollution response teams and Healthy Waters are on the ground while investigations continue. He added that environmental monitoring requirements will be confirmed once the full extent of the spill is known.

The fire broke out while three Vector workers were performing maintenance at the facility, according to Barry Thomas, the Fire and Emergency assistant district commander. Thomas told 1News that an incident occurred during the work. One individual was transported to Middlemore Hospital in serious condition, and two others were taken to Auckland City Hospital in moderate condition. At the peak of the emergency, up to 12 fire engines were deployed to the scene. Thousands of customers lost electricity during the event. Power has since been restored to all but one customer. A Vector spokesperson told RNZ that an investigation into the cause is underway and that the company remains focused on the welfare of its crew.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand reported that crews rotated through the evening to monitor the site for hot spots overnight. The blaze was extinguished, but the residual effects prompted the environmental response. Residents in the area described the intensity of the smoke and heat. Kerry Prendeville, who was driving on the Southern Motorway toward the city center, described the substation as well ablaze. He stated that the heat was comparable to an intense outdoor bonfire and that black smoke was billowing everywhere.

Louise Kyle, a resident near the substation, said she observed rising smoke after her power failed. She estimated the smoke was more than 150 feet in the air and described it as thick and dense. Kyle reported a taste in the back of her throat when she exited her home and noted that her car was covered in black ash. Mieke Thompson-Pain, who was near Mt Wellington, said she was nearly brought to tears by the scale of the fire. She recounted that her father pointed out the massive black smoke while they were driving. Thompson-Pain added that a friend's sister ran up the road fearing her own home was affected, describing the scene as very scary and impacting many lives.

The immediate fire response has shifted to environmental management. Council officials are gathering data on the oil discharge to determine the necessary monitoring steps. The three injured workers were receiving treatment at local hospitals. Vector has confirmed that an investigation will identify the root cause of the maintenance incident. The substation has returned to service for the vast majority of its customers.