Firefighters had to haul their hoses up 21 stories to battle a blaze in an Auckland skyscraper that sent thick, dark smoke billowing across the central city this afternoon.
Photo: RNZ / Jessie Chiang
The Fire Service said the blaze at the building on the corner of Queen St and Mayoral Drive, which started baout 3pm, was now out.
Mayoral Drive was cordoned off between Wakefield St and Queen St by police.
About 60 firefighters were called out to tackle the fire, and had to run their hoses up 21 stories to the top of the building, as its internal water supply was not working
The Fire Service said the building was undergoing renovation work.
Everyone who was in the building at the time has been evacuated and accounted for.
Michael Youngman, one of the construction workers, said he was working on the 12th floor when the fire broke out.
"We were working up in the building doing renovation work when we heard the sirens," he said. "We just walked down the stairs, came out and the building was ablaze."
Fire trucks at the scene of the fire in central Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Jessie Chiang
Fire near AUT #Fire Fighters #Police #safetyfirst #Auckland #CBD pic.twitter.com/qkhus2nTqJ
— Palkan Reshamwala (@Palkan_R) May 18, 2017
Huge fire in #Auckland right now, looked like most of the buildings occupants were safe on the sidewalk pic.twitter.com/xTtLwfanTF
— Conor Dunbar (@conordnbr) May 18, 2017
Fire in Auckland CBD pic.twitter.com/sMACvw8SmK
— Brandon (@JusSumWun) May 18, 2017
