Three people have been treated after inhaling a poisonous gas in Lower Hutt.
The XL Corporation building in Hutt Park Rd had been cordoned off after a chemical spill.
Three fire engines attended the incident, along with ambulance staff who treated the people at the scene.
Fire Brigade staff contained the spill and area is now open to traffic.
As you may, or may not be aware last Wednesday at Bar Bodega in Wellington the New Zealand finals for the Global Battle of the Bands (GBOB) were held.
A local hard rock band called Alphashift composed of four members from Lower Hutt took out first place and are now preparing to take on the Aussies in the Australasian finals in Sydney next week, November 27th.
We wish Dene Patton, Fred Glover, Innes Hutchison, Trevor Molloy all the best as they go for the goal of winning the Global Battle of the Bands .
The final is played in London and has a $100,000 grand prize.
Police have found a car stolen in an Avalon home invasion and aggravated robbery on Saturday morning.
The blue BMW was recovered in Lower Hutt, two days after four men forced their way into and took the vehicle’s keys from occupants of a house on Charleston Avenue, Avalon.
Police appealed for anyone who had seen the BMW, registration ZX9069, on the roads over the past few days to contact them.
Police still are not ruling out the robbers were the same ones who staged a home invasion last Wednesday, in Stokes Valley in which a man was shot in the leg and a woman repeatedly bashed with a shotgun butt.
Police have urged Hutt Valley residents to be security conscious, telling them to lock their doors and report any suspicious behaviour following these two attacks.
From Police website
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt Residents Evacuated From Inferno
Part of a Lower Hutt residential street remains cordoned off today while Fire and Police investigators attempt to determine the cause of a large blaze that has destroyed or extensively damaged 6 addresses.
An unoccupied address under construction in Cornwall Street was discovered well alight by a passing Police patrol at about 1.30 am this morning.
Numerous fire appliances struggled to contain the fire that was fanned by strong and blusterous winds. Before the fire was controlled 4 neighbouring addresses were extensively damaged with others suffering smoke damage.
Detective Sergeant Mike Sears of the Lower Hutt CIB said “This was an incredibly dangerous situation. Emergency staff, assisted by members of the public, did an outstanding job evacuating all those exposed to risk despite the obvious risks to their own safety. It is amazing that no-one was physically harmed.”
Given the extent of the damage it will take some time before we are in a position to determine the cause of the fire. At this stage we are simply not in a position to say if it was deliberately lit or not.
Despite this we urgently need to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time, regardless of whether they think they saw anything suspicious or not.” Please call the Lower Hutt Police on 5602600.
Mike Sears
Detective Sergeant
Lower Hutt CIB
Full photos and article courtesy of Hutt Valley Fire Police Unit from the night of the incident.
There was a large fire in the early morning at a house in central Lower Hutt.
The house where the fire started was completely destroyed and six neighbouring houses were damaged.
At this stage the fire is being treated as suspicious.
Full photos and article courtesy of Hutt Valley Fire Police Unit
Early this morning saw the second home invasion in the Hutt Valley. Whilst not on the level of the Stokes Valley attack it is rather worrying that the nature of these attacks is increasing. Two things spring to mind economic hardship and drugs
Three people, including an elderly woman, were upset, but physically unharmed, after four men forced their way into their Lower Hutt home early today.
Lower Hutt police said the woman, in her nineties, and another adult couple were awoken by the four men forcing the front door of the Charleston Avenue, Avalon, home.
“The males made a hasty search before leaving with some property and the victims’ BMW motor vehicle,” said Detective Sergeant Mike Sears of Lower Hutt CIB.
“The victims are obviously very upset, but thankfully received no physical injuries.
“We are still investigating the motive for this crime.”
via Stuff
Police are trying to establish if there are any links between this and the Stokes Valley incident, and need help to locate the four young men.
Keep your eyes out for the stolen car, a blue BMW, registration ZX9069.
More indepth detail in this Herald report has emerged (Sunday) and Police now believe of the posssibility that a gang of assilants is operating in the Hutt Valley.
Well I have been aware of this publication “Flying Pickle” for some time, and felt it appropriate to bring it to the attention of residents in the Korokoro, Maungaraki and Normandale Community who were not aware of it, hard not to be as the newsletter ends up in your letterbox.
Unlike my personal rantings on this site about the Hutt Valley it truly is a suburbs community website with the ability of the local residents opinion to be expressed without prejudice. Have a look if your interested in the concerns of this area.
From the site itself:
Flying Pickle is a free community website for suburbs of Korokoro, Maungaraki and Normandale. Our goal is to bring the community together in an open and democratic environment where people can exchange views, news, opinions, advertise their businesses in a friendly and non-intrusive manner as well as find help and support from others.
Online edition – free and open
FlyingPickle.co.nz is where it’s at for people and businesses in Western Hills.
Everyone is invited to post news, views, opinions, whatever you want to share with people around you. The website is completely free, including advertising content. Come, tell us about your business. We want to shop local!Print edition – free for local readers
The best of the online content is sent out in the Flying Pickle Print Edition, regularly delivered free to every household around Korokoro, Maungaraki and Normandale. The publication is non-profit and has no more than 1/3 of its space taken by advertising and classifieds to cover the cost.
Give it a go
If you’re in a pickle about something around town, let the community know. We want YOU to get online, spill your beans, and help spread the word on what’s happening in the neighbourhood.
It’s a great place to advertise your Hutt Business too if it applies as a fair percentage of the Lower Hutt City populace lives on them their hills. Go give them a visit.
Dont forget the Days Bay blog of local happenings in Eastbourne as well.
Earlier this evening a shop fire occurred in Hillary Court Naenae. At this stage no further details are available. Cheers to Steve http://twitter.com/stevebiddle who was on the scene.
Larger view here
Lower Hutt Police are seeking sightings of a red or maroon Mazda Astina 4 door liftback vehicle believed to be linked to an overnight home invasion in Stokes Valley.
The vehicle had been stolen from the lower level of the Westpac Stadium car park during business hours on Wednesday 11 November. At about 10.00 last evening Police discovered the car burning in the car park of Taita Bowling Club. An examination of the vehicle will take place today.
Also anyone noticing any suspicious behaviour around the Taita Bowling Club within the same time periods as the assault occurred.
Please contact the Lower Hutt Police Station with details
Stokes Valley was in lockdown mode last night as Police were hunting for at least two armed offenders after the pair stormed into a Stokes Valley home and shot one man and bashed a woman with a gun early this morning.
“The intruders kicked in the door and fired at least two shots in the house, striking the male victim in the leg. His female partner was struck over the head with the gun, police said.
At least three children were in the house at the time.
The male victim, 37, suffered serious gunshot injuries to his leg. He was flown by Westpac rescue helicopter to Wellington Hospital after the armed invasion about 9.40pm.
The woman was able to call for an ambulance, as did neighbours who heard the shots. She was taken to Hutt Hospital with moderate head injuries. The victims’ car was also shot at and damaged.
Stokes Valley was in lockdown last night as police cordons prevented anyone from entering the entrance to the suburb and a helicopter circled overhead.
The two offenders wore balaclavas and black hooded sweatshirts when they entered the Amundsen Grove home and started shooting. Police believed they had a sawn-off shotgun.
Four men were in a red, four-door sedan that left after the shooting. A red car was found a short time later burnt out at Taita Bowling Club.
Police are investigating whether it is connected to the incident.
Armed police were still searching for the offenders early this morning.
Inspector Mike Coleman said the home invasion was premeditated. “It was obviously a planned attack. It’s possible they have mistaken the address and got the wrong people.”
via Stuff
huttnz.co.nz 