People have been evacuated from a building on fire off Queen Street in Auckland which had closed a main road in the city centre.
The building in Auckland's CBD has been evacuated and there were no injuries, the Fire Service said. Photo: RNZ / Jessie Chiang
RNZ reporter Jessie Chiang said smoke was coming out of the first floor of the Whitireia college building on Turner Street.
She said there were more than 10 fire engines, and ambulances were also on the scene.
The building contains businesses, restaurants and offices including Work and Income and Studylink.
People were evacuated safely and no one was injured.
A central Auckland building is on fire. Photo: RNZ / Jessie Chiang
Fire and Emergency area commander Richard Twomey said he believed the blaze started in the kitchen on the third floor of the building.
"Actually it had blown out through the back windows. It looks like it may have even been a bit of a flash fire," he said.
"It's actually got going quite quickly. And then ... from the windows it spread up the back of the building and entered the other floors."
The chief fire officer said the building was badly damaged and would need extensive repairs.
Queen Street was closed from Mayoral Drive to Karangahape Road but has now reopened, Auckland Transport said.
A senior lecturer at Whitireia College, who was inside the building when it caught fire, said the blaze scared her.
Rosita Thomas said she was having breakfast in her office when the alarms went off.
She said when she got outside and saw thick black smoke and realised it was serious.
"I was a little scared because this was the first time I have seen a real fire this close and because it was our building."
Students at Whitireia College have been told to go home, with all classes cancelled for the day.
