The Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — A firefighter died and two others were in critical condition Sunday after an explosion at a storage facility in New Zealand.

The blast happened after firefighters responded to an alarm Saturday at the Icepak Coolstores complex near the central North Island city of Hamilton, fire service spokeswoman Mary Anne Gill
said.

Eight firefighters were taken to Waikato Hospital with burns, Gill said.

Waikato region assistant fire chief Roy Breeze said 25-year veteran Derek Lovell died after sustaining injuries from the force of the blast, which occurred as firefighters tried to enter the burning building.

"There was just a massive explosion, a huge fireball that just about blew the building to pieces," he said. "All the (injured) firefighters received a minimum of flash burns, they inhaled superheated air.

Fire Service corporate communications manager Scott Sargentina said two firefighters were in critical condition and four others in serious but stable condition.

Journalist Philippa Stevenson, who lives about 150 meters (160 yards) from the site, was biking near the complex when "there was this almighty boom."

"It's like those pictures you see of the nuclear bomb going off ... it's just a huge funnel of black smoke pouring up into the sky, with huge bright orange flames leaping out of the cool stores," she said.

Police communications manager Andrew McAlley said at least 12 fire trucks continued to fight the massive blaze overnight Saturday. Reports said the facility was filled with stored cheese.