Cyclone Gabrielle: Injured firefighter 'ready to risk it for the community', friend says

Thursday, 16 February 2023

Muriwai and Piha were hit hard by Cyclone Gabrielle.

A long-time friend of the firefighter critically injured in a landslide at Muriwai said it was no surprise he had been risking his life to help people when he was hurt.

Volunteer firefighter Craig Stevens remains in a critical but stable condition at Auckland Hospital after he was rescued from a house swallowed by a slip on Monday night as Cyclone Gabrielle hit Auckland.

The landslide claimed the life of fellow firefighter Dave van Zwanenberg, whose body was recovered on Wednesday.

Both men were part of a crew investigating flooding at a house on Motutara Rd – the main road into the small beachside settlement – when the slip gave way and the house collapsed.

* Family lose home in Muriwai landslide, rescue kids with only minutes to spare

Aerial photos of Muriwai show the scale of the slip damage.

* Cyclone Gabrielle: What we know about those who've died

* Cyclone Gabrielle: Body recovered from landslide is missing Muriwai firefighter

Matt Coplon, who has known Stevens for more than 20 years, said news his friend had been risking his life to help others when he was hurt “only makes sense”.

“Of course, that’s exactly what Craig would do,” Coplon said.

Homes at Muriwai were destroyed as Cyclone Gabrielle hit Auckland.

Stevens, who grew up in both South Africa and the United Kingdom, has been a volunteer firefighter since 2018.

He has been a freestyle BMX rider for years, which is where he and Coplon met and “immediately became friends”.

“He's an easily likeable person, a great storyteller, an amazing bike rider, and very protective of both his friends and family.”

Dave van Zwanenberg was killed in a landslide while investigating reports of flooding at Muriwai.

Coplon described his friend as “exceptional at everything” and said it made sense he was “ready to risk it for the community”.

Stevens and his wife Lucy originally came to New Zealand on a working holiday, but are still here close to a decade later.

On Tuesday morning after the rescue, Fire and Emergency chief executive Kerry Gregory said a landslide had taken out two houses and trapped two firefighters.

He said Stevens was extracted in a “really highly technical rescue” and taken to hospital.

At the time Gregory said there was obvious concern for Stevens’ condition, as “with any crush injury it becomes very risky when a person is released after being trapped after a period of time”.

The search for van Zwanenberg was initially suspended because of the dangers posed by the unstable ground, but his body was recovered on Wednesday.

Flags at fire stations around the country are flying at half-mast on Thursday in honour of van Zwanenberg.

“My heart goes out to his family and to his friends and colleagues in the brigade,” Gregory said.

“His death is being felt by our Fire and Emergency whānau right across the country.