Whangārei fire contained after smoke pours through Cameron St sushi shop

The fire broke out about 9.45am on Monday at Asahi Sushi Bar on Cameron St. Photo / Denise Piper

Fire crews took nearly two hours to contain a fire in a commercial kitchen in Whangārei’s Cameron St.

The fire in Asahi Sushi Bar broke out about 9.45am on Monday.

Three fire crews fought the smoke-filled blaze in the two-level, multi-tenanted building, Fire and Emergency shift manager Paul Radden said.

Cameron St, between Bank St and the Cameron St Mall, was closed to allow the fire trucks access to the building but reopened just before midday.

Asahi Sushi Bar owner Jenny Seo said she thought the fire started in an electric stove.

Kitchen crew were getting ready for a busy Labour Day Monday lunchtime, she said.

She did not believe anyone was hurt.

For almost an hour after the fire broke out, thick black smoke continued to billow out of the store, while fire crews wore breathing apparatus to enter the building.

While the nearby shops and Cameron St Mall were relatively quiet due to the long weekend, many pedestrians still stopped to watch the fire crews in action.

Radden said a fire investigator would be on scene to determine the cause of the blaze.

Thick black smoke was seen billowing out of the sushi shop but the owner thought no one was hurt. Photo / Denise Piper

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.