West Auckland supermarket could be closed for a week after aisle fire

Dozens of firefighters are battling a blaze that broke out in the Countdown supermarket in WestCity mall in West Auckland tonight.
Video / Hayley Rayner

The West Auckland supermarket that was the centre of a huge fire service response last night after its chip aisle went up in flames could remain closed for up to a week.

The supermarket says it can’t reopen the building until it’s safe for staff and customers – which they are hoping is in the next five to seven 7 days.

While work to get the building ready for reopening is underway, police will continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the blaze, which is being treated as arson.

About 60 firefighters were called to Thursday night’s blaze at Countdown Henderson inside WestCity mall.

The inferno is thought to be part of a global TikTok craze; a supermarket worker spoke to the Herald about online videos where chip packets are set alight.

The social media “challenge” has already resulted in at least one large supermarket fire in the US.

In an email sent to customers, the supermarket said all workers at the store during the fire were okay and were being provided with plenty of ongoing support.

The fire at the Countdown Henderson, inside WestCity mall, last night. Photo / Hayley Rayner

Any food that couldn’t be saved would be donated through its food rescue partners, Fair Food, the note said.

The rest of the mall – bar some businesses near the supermarket – was open today. A police officer was seen standing guard outside the supermarket, where a temporary gate had been erected.

The aisle where the fire started had been left torched black and debris could be seen strewn near the entrance.

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A Countdown spokesperson said the supermarket had provided police with the CCTV footage from the store to assist in their criminal investigation.

The Countdown Henderson supermarket at WestCity mall this morning. Photo / Hamish Fletcher

“We’ll be reopening the store when it’s safe for our team and customers, which we’re hoping will be in the next five to seven days.”

A police spokeswoman said the agency was making “very good progress” with Inquiries into the incident, but no arrests had been made.

No further comment could be made for operational reasons, they said.

The Herald understands young people were involved in last night’s chip aisle blaze.

Detective Sergeant Ryan Bunting confirmed the fire was being treated as arson but wouldn’t speak specifically about claims from supermarket staff that it was linked to the TikTok challenge.

A worker in a shop nearby the Countdown said flames leaped three metres into the air.

A shopper paying for her groceries at the time could feel the heat from the flames as she paywaved her card.