Fonterra Dairy Factory Fire, Takaka NZ, 22 JUNE 2005

"Takaka, in Golden Bay, will count the cost today of a spectacular blaze that destroyed the town's dairy factory, its biggest employer," reported The Press in June 2005.
"The fire broke out at the Fonterra factory about 5pm and flames soon engulfed large parts of the building. Firefighters spent several hours battling huge flames as thick, black smoke, fed by polystyrene in the building's construction, billowed from the rapidly disintegrating factory," said the press report.
The factory, which employed 100 people, was the backbone of the town's economy.
More than 500 residents were evacuated, according to the Nelson Bays police area commander, Inspector Brian McGurk, because of the "potential for poisonous gases to be released" from combustible plastic material.
"It's a very spectacular blaze. I haven't seen one like this for a long, long time. Huge flames," McGurk said.