Fire Destroys Fish Factory and Helicopter Hangar in New Zealand's West Coast

A major fire destroyed a building used as a fish factory and a helicopter hangar on New Zealand’s remote West Coast on September 20.

The blaze ripped through the workshop-hangar located next to a private airstrip at Neils Beach, Jackson Bay, the Greymouth Star reported. A helicopter inside was wrecked and the area lost its only internet connection, according to Stuff.co.nz.

Neils Beach resident Lynda Hewer told the Greymouth Star that “it could have been a lot worse” had the fire crews not been able to stop fuel storage tanks from exploding.

The structure was owned by Greenstone Helicopters owner, Geoff Robson, and Barn Bay Fishing Company, a major employer in the settlement. Credit: Facebook/The Coaster Club via Storyful