from the NZ Herald

A petrol tanker caught fire on the Kapiti Expressway, closing a section of State Highway 1 headed north.

Nineteen fire trucks, tankers and specialist vehicles were sent to the incident south of the Kapiti Coast town of Ōtaki just after 5 am.

The road was closed to northbound traffic between Waikanae and Ōtaki, but open to southbound vehicles.

Videos show part of the fuel tanker on fire, while a social media commenter said the truck’s cab was an “inferno” when they passed it at 5.10am.

The first 111 call was received at 5.06am, with the tanker’s cab well ablaze when the first crews arrived.

Bruce Stubbs, Fire and Emergency New Zealand assistant national commander, said firefighters contained the fire to the vehicle’s cab and tractor unit.

The fire did not spread to fuel the tanker was carrying, Stubbs said.

“It’s a really good save by our crews.”

No injuries had been reported, police said.

No cause has been reported either —Eds