Fire rips through former ANZ bank

The fire damaged the former ANZ bank on Kerikeri Rd.

An empty business premises on Kerikeri's main street - until recently a branch of the ANZ Bank - has been extensively smoke damaged in a fire that could have levelled a block of shops.

The alarm was raised about 1.20am yesterday with two fire crews from the town responding and one each from Okaihau and Paihia.

Kerikeri fire chief Les Wasson said black smoke was billowing from the building's vents when firefighters arrived.

They smashed open the front doors and volunteers clad in full breathing apparatus went in to find the seat of the blaze.

No flames were visible and the building was heavily smoke-logged. Other firefighters managed to force the rear doors and started clearing the smoke.

The fire was eventually traced to the ceiling cavity. It appeared to have "self-extinguished" when it had consumed all the oxygen in the building.

Extra brigades were called in from around the Mid North as a precaution because the blaze had the potential to spread to the rest of the block, Mr Wasson said.

An insurance investigator was expected to assess the damage and establish the cause yesterday.

Kerikeri ended up with two branches of the ANZ after the 2012 merger of the ANZ and the National Bank. The branch on Kerikeri Rd, near the John Butler Centre, closed last year. The building has been unoccupied since then but it is understood ANZ has the lease until May.