16Taking possession etc of buildings and vessels during fires or hazardous material incidents

16 Taking possession etc of buildings and vessels during fires or hazardous material incidents

16 Taking possession etc of buildings and vessels during fires or hazardous material incidents

(1) During a fire, the officer in charge may take possession of any building, vehicle or vessel, and any property in it or on it, if it is so situated that a fire in it would endanger any structure or any property in a structure.

(2) The officer in charge may, to control, extinguish or prevent the spread of the fire, cause such a building to be pulled down or destroyed and cause such a vehicle to be removed or destroyed and such a vessel to be removed or sunk, and may remove any such property and keep it in safe custody.

(2A) For the purpose of confining or ending a hazardous material incident or rendering the site of such an incident safe, the officer in charge may—

(a) take possession of any building, vehicle or vessel in the vicinity of that site and any property (whether or not the property consists of a hazardous material) in it or on it, and

(b) cause such a vehicle or vessel to be removed or remove any such property and keep it in safe custody.

(3) Whenever practicable, the consent of the Harbour Master, or other officer having the control of the removal of vessels in the port, is to be obtained before any vessel is removed or sunk.

s 16: Am 1993 No 110, Sch 1 (13).