A marine exclusion zone has been established around the area where a Shelly Bay wharf building caught fire early Wednesday morning.

This exclusion zone was established by a Direction from the Wellington Harbourmaster, Grant Nalder, to ensure the safety of harbour users while the impacts of the fire to the surrounding area are determined.

Shed 8, the building in question, is known to have contained asbestos; various agencies are monitoring air quality around the site to make safety assessments.

Any vessels navigating near Shelly Bay in Evans Bay needs to remain at least 300 metres away from the remains of Shed 8, unless given specific permission to enter the area by the Harbourmaster. It is recommended to avoid being downwind of the site.

The Direction will be updated as more information becomes available.

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