Firefighters were faced with a potentially highly-hazardous situation when they received reports of people inside a fiercely burning apartment in west Auckland this morning, only to find suspected methamphetamine paraphernalia.
One person received serious burns in the suspected chemical fire on Hobsonville Rd, and two others had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
Fire investigator Ray Coleman said the house was well alight when firefighters arrived about 6.30am.
"There were persons reported (inside) and whilst firefighters made entry they came across other paraphernalia, which necessitated the withdrawal of fire crews until such time as the situation could be stabilised. That wasn't done at the expense of any search and rescue - that continued.'' he said.
All the occupants had managed to get out of the building unassisted.
"The crews turned out to a house fire and we ended up with added complications of the fact that it may prove to be a clan lab.''
Mr Coleman said the fire had "well and truly gutted'' the bottom storey of the apartment, and travelled upstairs.
"It appears there's been a possible clan-lab-gone-wrong and a fire and explosion has occurred.''
One man was transported by ambulance to Middlemore Hospital with burns and two other people were taken to Waitakere Hospital where they were treated for smoke inhalation, an Ambulance spokesman said.
Fire Service shift manager Jarron Philips said this morning that a woman, thought to have been in the building at the time of the fire, was unaccounted for.
Police would not confirm whether the apartment was a P-lab.
Three fire trucks are at the scene _ three of those were being used for the decontamination operation.
An investigation into the cause of the fire was being carried out.
