Firefighters successfully contained a blaze that broke out, Thursday 22 August, at the Whittaker’s chocolate factory, located on Mohuia Crescent. The fire, which began in a chocolate hopper at the rear of the building, was quickly brought under control, limiting potential damage to the factory.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) was first alerted to the incident shortly before 11:00 p.m. Responding swiftly, five fire trucks and an aerial fire truck were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, firefighters found the fire confined to a single piece of equipment, a chocolate hopper—a vessel used to hold liquid chocolate during the manufacturing process. By 11:20 p.m., the fire was contained, though FENZ crews remained on-site until 1:00 a.m. to ensure the area was fully secured.
Wellington Free Ambulance confirmed that one person was treated for smoke inhalation and transported to Wellington Hospital in mild condition. No other injuries were reported.
Whittaker’s, the iconic Kiwi chocolate brand, has assured the public that all staff members are safe. In a statement, a spokesperson for the company emphasized the effectiveness of their emergency response plan, which was activated immediately after the fire was detected. “It was confined to one piece of equipment and was very rapidly contained, but we are still assessing the damage,” the spokesperson said.
The company is currently assessing the extent of the damage, though initial evaluations suggest that any disruption to business operations is likely to be minimal. “We will be working to minimize any potential disruption to our business, which we think is minimal at this stage based on our preliminary assessment,” the spokesperson added.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway, with FENZ officials expected to return to the site today to conduct a thorough examination.
The fire response saw support from multiple brigades across the Wellington region, including teams from Porirua, Johnsonville, Titahi Bay, Wellington City, Thorndon, Remutaka, and Kilbirnie.
As the investigation continues, Whittaker’s has assured that their top priority remains the safety and well-being of their employees. “All staff are safe, and our priority right now is to ensure they have access to the support they need,” the company stated.