DHD Surfboards factory razed in Boxing Day fire
Around 9am on Boxing Day morning, fire overtook the DHD Surfboards factory in Rudman Parade, Burleigh Heads.
It's not yet known what caused the blaze, though it completely destroyed the factory plus an adjacent stonemasonry business. It took ninety minutes before fire crews could control the blaze, saving a further four business in the estate.
Being a public holiday, no employees were at either factory and no-one was hurt in the incident. Both businesses were insured.
"There's a lot of history in there, a lot of old boards that are irreplaceable," Darren Handley told 7 News Gold Coast. "Things like this do happen, and it's a bummer it's happened to me."
"We'll just all knuckle down, build a new factory and start again. It's not that hard."
Comments
Five words the owner of every surfboard factory dreads. "The factory is on fire"! I got that call in 1994. Martin "wiggins" Wright lobbed in on a Saturday morning at 8.30 am to find smoke billowing from the building. We were running 5 glassing streams two shifts 24/5 operation. The last night shift glasser had clocked off at 6am; he had thrown a hot mix in the bin. Absolute no no. They were always told not to do it. I got the call at 8.30 am sheer terror followed, we were not insured, too expensive at that time for an operation that size. The panic is not about your stuff it's the neighbouring businesses and buildings. I arrived to the fire brigade packing up they had extinguished the fire. Martin had arrived in the nick of time. The entire wheelie bin was a melted blob of plastic on the floor. We lost about 10 shaped blanks and a wheelie bin. Absolute miracle ..........the wheelie bin was next to his glassing bench with pots of open acetone, a 200 lt of resin and 200 lt of acetone not far away...but the thing with these type of fires is that dust in the air catches fire, so the whole thing is like a bomb. Super Scary Stuff. ...........Darren seems pretty relaxed, thankfully he was insured and no one hurt.........but still not an an experience you would wish on anybody. All the best to you Darren and crew. Yes it can happen to anyone running one of these.
That’s a gnarly story man. Glad it worked out okay for you. Hopefully Darren can get things up and running soon.
About ten years ago I was on the other side of town when I got a text from a mate saying “Dave, I can see the fire, are you okay?” I just about fell over backwards with shock. Turned out there was a small scrub fire about three houses down from me. I had to have a few stiff whiskeys after that. Farken horrible feeling.
Heavy duty story Shaper. I know a guy who was a long term fixture in his estate but after a few, admittedly dumb, things done by his staff other tenants got the EPA onto his case and made his life hell for a while.
In one sense you can understand what the other tenants are worried about, there's some volatile chemicals in every surfboard factory, but a simple neighbourly word would've saved so many hassles - not to mention $$$.
Totally understand the concern of neighbours. We were really good risk managers, clean factory, but it all comes down to the stupidity of staff sometimes. I doubt that's the issue with Darren's event, more likely an electrical fault given they were all on holidays. I caught some of the young guys in my factory once trying to light up a Toad with petrol in the entry, the idiots were chasing it around with a lighter.......... beggars belief eh........you just can't prepare for that sort of thing.
Evil dumb cunts
Darren didn't look too phased.
Wow, that's in a pretty secluded little zone , will be interesting to see what caused the blaze.
This time last year they were trying to float the company,
Now they are back to square one.
Do they even glass boards there or somewhere else?
they do outsource some of the glassing to other glass shops, one down here that gives work to my pal.
he won't be happy.
Thanks,
My whole district just went up in flames. My house, shed and most of the garden were saved thanks to the vigilance of a neighbour and a passing CFS truck. My shed's full of poylurethane boards, polyester resin and a few litres of acetone - none of which you want to be facing in that situation. Now it's also got an inch of ash lining every surface. Merry fucking christmas eh? I wonder what the poor people are doing...
Heavy,
Defensible space is important.
You have great neighbours.
Close call, but you are ok though?
Heavy is the word. We're ok, thanks for asking LD. But only because we do have great neighbours.
tbb lives in next neighbourhood over...we copped the plume with prevailing s/e wind.
We just assumed the toxic cloud was a nerve gas test from Dutto's Palmy checkpoint.
So by the sounds of it, we're coated in some real cool poison then...feel better now!
To be honest tbb can't survive any more toxic shit in the line-up or over his toxic yard
Can't escape the house & hemmed in by the Motorway (Already an lame target)
As a local rogue surf historian tbb is sad to hear local surf history has been lost.
Also as fellow ocean goers and neighbours we don't kick each other when down.
Not about to start...Reedy Creekers cop worse all day every day with M1 toxic cloud.
From all locals / surfers we feel for our neighbour's loss & wish you well in re-start.
PS: Spent Boxing Day Party with Ace from 'South Coast Foam' over the way.
So yeah! Hits home in more ways than one...we locals get what went down alright!
Hear you TBB ,
Treetops is just down the road for a pick me up ; ).
If wild oz pubs are your thing .
Pick you up throw me out...all the same!
Wild neighbour roped in tbb for Treetops session.
Barman said the Tavern's barfly is not to touch a beer.
Turned a blind eye & swear neighbour had just one sip...
tbb copped a 'blackban' from the pub.
A giant leap for mankind...right Lanky Dean!
Local's 'Holy * * * * !' real-wild-like-live-running-commentary of DHD Fire.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/gold-coast-factory-...
Vid shows local builder's wrap (Construction Site)
Scaffold + Portaloo + Temp Power Pole
Local increase of 'am' dry lightning blowing out transformers?
Factory is smack bang between 2 sub stations (Lightning fields)?
Wide pan shot shows the west drift of smoke +
[WARNING] Residents & Motorists.
Major toxic concern being reason for rapid-firey response.
Rogue Local Cam shows intensity of Surfboard Fuel.
Rare glimpse into ferocity of a Surfboard fire. (Totally Wild)
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/power-lines-spark-as-black-...
Rumour of another BWT fire fighter..support Crew influence?
Guns Hearts 'n' Hoses (Police Ambos Firies) [0][0[0] Surfest
https://www.facebook.com/gunsandhosesnsw/
LOL wild neighbour sipped bar dry , TBB turns blind eye
Onya TBB! Epic!
"We just assumed the toxic cloud was a nerve gas test from Dutto's Palmy checkpoint."
Classic!
90 minutes to get there and put the fire out, a big thank you to the fireman
My 7' 6"
Glass on fins , thruster shaped for triple crown, world champ Joel Parko just went way up in value.
Might also be the board he blocked Slater on .
Any word on cause of blaze ?
DHD update thanx to tbb's neighbour Ace > South Coast Foam & Fibreglass ...
tbb introduced his neighbour Ace above...bit worried how all this would play out.
Mermaid Shaper Robert Morely - 1983 est: SC Foam & Fibreglass (Now) @ Burleigh.
Fire also hurt SCFF as they supplied 200 Blanks / week to their best customer DHD.
Fellow Goldie shaper's sheds pitched in to get DHD back up to 50 boards / week.
Should mean Oz Pros get decent vessels to slosh about the WSL Corona Beerfest.
All of this one way or another helps Burleigh Locals ...Stokeded.
Reedy Creekerz thank GC shapers & Robert for lookin' out for our horde...Cheers!