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Kavinda Herath / Things
Fire crews at the Pankhurst sawmill near Riverton Tuesday night. A New Zealand Fire and Emergency spokesperson said a fire started in a grinding shed.
A Riverton sawmill owner says a fire at his business is a “shitty” way to start 2021.
Five rural fire brigades in Southland were called in for the Pankhurst Sawmill fire around 7pm.
A New Zealand Fire and Emergency spokesperson said the call came in around 7pm that a 25m by 10m mill building at the sawmill was on fire, as well as piles of sawdust and other piles of grinding.
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Pankhurst Sawmilling owner Rodney Lonneker said they had been very lucky with the fire.
Only a small section of the shed was damaged, most of the stair work would be intact, and only a small part of the roof would be damaged, Lonneker said.
It was the quick response from emergency services that helped bring the fire under control very quickly, he said.
No wood was damaged by the fire, he said.
Lonneker was off site when the owner of the Pankhurst farm notified him of the fire that he had called him.
He wasn’t sure what caused the fire, he said.
“We’re very lucky … it’s just a shitty start to the year.”
The initial fire crews that responded came from Riverton, Wallacetown and Thornbury, but needed more help, so volunteer fire crews from Orepuki and Otautau were also called in.
A FENZ fire department spokesman around 7pm described the fire as “very involved.”
Rodney and Amanda Lonneker took over the sawmill from the Pankhurst family in 2015.
It is considered one of the largest employers in Riverton with a staff of approximately 28 people.
