A fire has damaged part of the Haines Hunter Australia factory in Derrimut, Victoria, triggering a large emergency response and interrupting operations. The incident is not connected to Haines Hunter in New Zealand.
Fire crews were called to the factory on East Derrimut Crescent shortly after 10am on Friday, following multiple emergency calls reporting a fire inside the building. Firefighters arrived to find thick smoke issuing from the structure, with fire concentrated at the western end of the site.
Due to structural collapse within the building, crews were forced to fight the fire defensively. The fire was brought under control early in the afternoon, with neighbouring businesses evacuated as a precaution. Four people were treated by Ambulance Victoria for smoke inhalation and transported to the hospital. No serious injuries were reported.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Haines Hunter Australia confirmed all staff were safely evacuated and accounted for at an emergency assembly point. The company said the fire affected its moulding section, but the majority of its boat moulds were not damaged. A small number were lost or affected, and plans are in place to rebuild those moulds.
Haines Hunter Australia said work is now focused on restoring the factory and assessing longer-term options. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with WorkSafe and the Environment Protection Authority notified.
