Hastings fire as witnessed through Twitter

PETER FOWLER - Online Editor | Wednesday, January 18, 2012 15:26

About 80 firefighters fought the inferno at the height of the blaze.

Hawke's Bay Inferno 17 January 2012

The massive fire at Hawk Packaging in Hastings required fire appliances from as far afield as Palmerston North. Area Commander Chris Nicoll said the fire was a struggle to contain. "You don't get any bigger," he said. The fire broke out around 9pm on Tuesday night, sending smoke billowing into the sky and flames leaping "at least" 20 metres into the air.

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Hawke's Bay tweeps were quick to post video, photos and accounts from the scene of the Hastings inferno, which could be seen blazing in the night sky from long distances. As a result #hastingsfire has topped the list of top trending topics on Twitter in New Zealand, which means it is being talked about a lot.

Following is a selection of tweets which portrayed the sheer size of the inferno and emergency.

Direct message @hawkesbaytoday on Twitter if you want a tweet added to the list.

TUESDAY EVENING

@LIZMARIENES - Huge fire in Hastings. Saw the glow from motor way #HASTINGSFIRE

@nzfashio - Oh my goodness it looks out of control! #hastingsfire

dothedeerdanc - Out my window #hastingsfire @xarcrius http://twitpic.com/88bt0j

@thealexhedley - Can see flames from the #hastingsfire from Bay View, about 10km north of Napier city.

@MrBobbyDigital - From other end of Williams Street you get the scale of this thing #hastingsfire http://twitvid.com/9OPKX

@danielfaulknor - My photos from the Hawk Packaging fire between 11pm and 4:30am. Got within a few metres of the fire! http://goo.gl/depq2

@mvandenberg - Left Tomoana #hastingsfire road. Apparent ammonia leak. With flames. Not good.

@lisarapley - It just keeps getting bigger. #hastingsfire http://pic.twitter.com/R2JlzfZp

@LeisaEpplett - A couple more, hearing more explosions #hastingsfire http://twitpic.com/88curx http://twitpic.com/88cusb

@lisarapley - Apparently ammonia tanks in cooling sheds are going up. #hastingsfire

@lisarapley - Just talked to dad on the scene. Houses on tomoana have been evacuated. He can feel the heat from the other end of Williams. #hastingsfire

WEDNESDAY MORNING