More than 30 firefighters have contained a fire at the Mataura Paper Mill this afternoon and it appears the ouvea premix stored there has not got wet or been damaged.

The fire in the mill’s hydro-generator sparked instant media attention, amidst local concerns about the risks associated with an estimated 8500 tonnes of ouvea premix getting wet and releasing toxic gases.

Gore District Council mayor Tracy Hicks went immediately to the town, about 13km south of Gore, to find out for himself what was happening.

State Highway 93, between Clinton and Mataura, was closed during the fire emergency, but Mr Hicks confirmed Civil Defence did not get involved and no evacuations took place.

He believed the road closure “was just to let the fire guys in’’.

When spoken to by the Southland App just before 4pm, Mr Hicks said he believed the emergency was over.

“As far as I am aware everything is under control. So, there was a fire that is contained in the hydro generating plant, which is in a separate part of the building altogether from the dross . . so that wasn’t a risk at all and my understanding is Fire have it under control.”

Earlier, Fire and Emergency incident controller Scott Lindsay confirmed more than 30 firefighters were called to attend the blaze, which was called in about 1.40pm.

“There is currently no danger of the fire getting near where the ouvea premix is stored. The fire is on the floor underneath the premix, approximately 30 metres away. 

“The fire covers a 10 square metre area of the hydro generator. It is contained. Firefighters are currently working to isolate the power to extinguish the fire, once it is confirmed the power is generating,” Mr Lindsay said.

Breathing apparatus was used during the operation. No people were harmed or injured.

Sort Out The Dross group spokeswoman Cherie Chapman said the dross issue was reaching “biblical proportions”, after threats from floods earlier this year, and now fire.

The group “absolutely had concerns’’ about the dross’s continued presence at the paper mill, not just about the fire.

The fire had sent a clear message to the media and public about the unknown risks the dross posed to the community, she said

.

“I am sure everyone is doing the best they can . . . But people are going to hear the news, be concerned, they’ve heard what happened in Beirut, some people think it could be explosive. No-one knows. How much can it do to the community? How much can that community cope with these things? Could it be hit by lightning? We just don’t know. It is just too risky in my view,” she said.

Mr Hicks said he'd been reassured the premix was not explosive. 

“I know that was the very first thing that was raised when that Beirut explosion happened a wee while ago and comparing Beirut to what is in Mataura, it is completely the wrong stuff. The MFE came out at the point and said the explosive qualities of that product are not [the same], that this [type of explosion] doesn’t happen,“ Mr Hicks said.

Mr Hicks said he included himself in the people who want the ouvea mix gone from Mataura.

Mrs Chapman said she believed the approximately 8500 tonnes of ouvea premix at the mill should go straight back to the Tiwai Smelter as soon as possible and be spread on experimental farms there.

The Gore District Council had been “extremely defensive in its decisions about the time frame to get it out’’ and the desire to use a commercial processer to shift the premix was slowing the move down, she said.

Mr Hicks said the contract for moving the ouvea was “progressing’’. 

“My understanding there is in excess of 1500 tonnes removed already but there is still a lot there. So there is certainly a desire in people’s mind and in my mind to have that uplifted to a secure site where it is not at risk of getting wet. I know the MfE and the minister [for the environment] have been actively pursuing that. It don’t know where it has got to at this point but it is a work in progress,” he said.

The council would be supporting the Environmental Defence Society in a court case seeking a declaration that New Zealand Aluminium Smelter Ltd and its parent company Rio Tinto are responsible for the ouvea premix.

Mr Hicks said the council would supply all the documents required. “We wish them all the best.’’

At least 10,000 tonnes of ouvea premix have been stored at the mill site since 2014. 

NZAS and Rio Tinto argue the premix belongs to and is the responsibility of Taha Asia Pacific Ltd, which has been in liquidation since 2016.

Ouvea premix is a fertiliser premix produced from aluminium dross materials.

Aluminium dross is a class six hazardous substance, which releases flammable, poisonous gas when exposed to water.

OTHER FIRES

Fire and Emergency community and engagement adviser Sally Chesterfield said wind was a major issue for firefighters tackling vegetation fires around the Southern region today.

A Twizel fire was the biggest – is started on Sunday - and at least 14 helicopters from businesses around the south had been called in to help.

By mid-afternoon today, it had covered approximately 3000 hectares, with a perimeter of 23km, and at least 160 people were working in gale conditions, with winds gusting up to 135kmh in exposed places.

Ms Chesterfield said there were hopes a weather change tonight, forecast to bring a light to moderate snowfall and some rain, might help the Twizel situation.

Central Otago was frost-dry, so grass was liable to catch quickly. However, Southland's grass was lush and green and not at risk. "Currently we don't have any vegetation fires in Southland at all."

"The nearest fire we have is Queenstown area, which looks like it is down Gibbston Valley way, though it is not very big," Ms Chesterfield said.

Oamaru also had a scrub and grass fire covering approximately 3 hectares.