Arson suspected in high-rise incident

5:46 pm on 22 January 2018

Police and a fire investigator are assessing an apartment building under construction in Auckland's CBD after five suspicious fires.

The site in central Auckland.

The site in central Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Laura Tupou

Five fires broke out today at a 32-storey Auckland apartment building under construction, and the site is now being treated as a crime scene.

Crews were called to the Park Residences at 10.40am in what was thought to be an "accidental fire", area commander Geoff Purcell said. Thirteen fire crews returned before 3pm to two fires on levels eight and 14 at the site, which was one month away from completion.

Mr Purcell said two more fires were discovered when crews checked all 32 floors.

The fires were extinguished by the sprinkler system and dampened with hoses, but were all being treated as suspicious, Mr Purcell said.

Fire and police were on site and about half a dozen construction workers on standby to clean up.