Mark Taylor/Stuff
Two people were treated at the scene when gas exploded at a pizzaria on Wednesday morning. (file photo)
Two people were injured when gas exploded in a newly opened pizzaria in Richmond on Wednesday morning, Fire and Emergency New Zealand said.
Fire investigator Craig Piner said the explosion was caused by a contractor inadvertently drilling into a LPG pipe that supplied gas to the kitchen’s hobs.
Once the switch to the gas was flicked, that provided the spark that triggered the explosion, he said.
The resulting blast “blew out the wall, and moved quite a few things away from the wall”.
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“It was quite an explosion,” he said.
Piner said it was lucky that there were only minor injuries, as the gas had not built up very much.
“It was fortunate that the gas hadn’t spread too far … the explosion could have been quite a lot worse”.
Piner understood the pizzaria had only recently opened. The damage was “superficial” and he hoped that they would be able to get the repairs done quickly and reopen.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand southern communications shift manager Alex Norris said they got a notification from an ambulance that there had been an explosion at a commercial premise on Lower Queen St at around 11am.
A Hato Hone St John spokesperson said one ambulance and one rapid response vehicle were sent to the scene.
One patient was reported to be in a moderate condition, and the other in a minor condition.
Both were assessed and treated at the scene, the spokesperson said.
Two fire trucks were sent from Richmond to the incident.
Norris said the crew assisted with initial first aid, and made sure the scene was safe by isolating the gas.
