Helicopter airlifted to Christchurch after jet skis ignite in driveway
Three people were hospitalized following a fire on Nursery Drive, while Ashburton firefighters battled two separate hedge fires earlier in the week.
By Victoria Singh ·
One person was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital in serious condition after two jet skis caught fire on a driveway in Tinwald. Two others were transported to Ashburton Hospital in moderate condition following the incident.
Emergency services received the call regarding the explosion and resulting fire on Wednesday at 5:38 pm on Nursery Drive. Hato Hone St John dispatched three ambulances, one helicopter, and one operations manager to the scene.
Ashburton Volunteer Fire Brigade chief Jeff Marshall stated that a jet ski parked on a trailer in the driveway initially caught fire and spread to the second watercraft. Four crew members used breathing apparatus to tackle the blaze. Marshall noted that neighboring properties suffered no damage, though a car in the same driveway sustained residual heat damage to its tail light.
Police managed traffic at the intersection while crews worked. The incident occurred one week before firefighters responded to two hedge fires on Monday night. The first fire, located near Coldstream, started just before 10 pm. Marshall described it as a 300-meter hedge fire driven toward a house by strong winds. Eight appliances from Willowby, Geraldine, Rangitata, and Ashburton attended the call. Crews focused on the tree line to save the house and remained on the scene for nearly three hours.
At 11 pm, crews from the Ashburton Brigade and five other districts responded to a tree and scrub fire in Lowcliffe. Some appliances were redirected from the Coldstream fire to this second incident. The fire covered an area of 30 meters by 10 meters in the fence line. Marshall said crew members did not return home until after 2 am.
Separately, the Rakaia Volunteer Fire Brigade responded to a two-vehicle collision at the corner of Hatfield Overdale Road and State Highway 1 on Tuesday at 11:30 pm. Chief Tyrone Burrowes said a vehicle failed to stop and clipped the front of a truck. Firefighters kept both lanes open by slowing traffic and clearing debris. A police spokesperson confirmed one driver received an infringement notice. One ambulance arrived at the scene, but all patients declined assessment from the crew.
Source: The Star
