Five crews from Fire and Emergency have responded the fire during the city's morning commute.
The owner of a central Auckland restaurant damaged by fire says it will be weeks or more until the business can be reopened, with major bookings being shifted and eight staff in employment limbo.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand crews were called to a “well-involved” blaze at Raviz Indian Eatery,situated in a block of shops on the corner of Hobson St and Victoria St West, around 7.30am yesterday.
The building houses several other stores and restaurants, including the 24-hour Denny’s and Daikoku convenience store.
Owner Ravraj Singh said no one was in the premises when the blaze broke out. The cause was still being determined.
However, damage was limited to the kitchen, with fire crews able to contain flames before it spread to the front of house and neighbouring businesses.
Singh was now waiting for insurance to assess the damage, and said a “bigger challenge” was having to shift or cancel the overseas bookings lined up in the coming weeks, while supporting the eight members of staff now without work.
The blaze caused extensive damage to Raviz Indian Eatery's kitchen, but fire crews stopped it before it could spread to the front of house and neighbouring businesses. Photo / Anna Heath
“Until we finish repair work, we cannot reopen. And definitely, we’re going to,” Singh said.
“That’s our livelihood, and the livelihood for a few other staff as well.”
Despite the damage, Singh said he hoped to be able to reopen the store in a couple of weeks.
“Luckily, the fire guys had done an excellent job. It stopped in the kitchen only, because if it came toward the dining-area side, then it’s gone for three to six months.”
Singh thanked his regular customers for their consistent support over the years, and said he’d “try hard to reopen as soon as possible” to continue serving them.
“[The Hobson St restaurant] was very successful pre-Covid, but after Covid, hospitality struggled a lot here,” he said.
The fire broke out in Raviz Indian Eatery, situated in a block of shops on the corner of Hobson St and Victoria St West. Photo / Anna Heath
“But the city was coming back, we started doing pretty well, with both the dine-in and takeaway format, but suddenly this happened.”
Singh said he took over the Indian restaurant from his uncle, who founded Raviz Group in 1998 and opened a number of stores in Auckland.
Over time, Singh’s uncle expanded the business to the Cook Islands, Australia and India, with his nephew taking over the Hobson St store about two years ago.
Several fire engines were called to the building yesterday morning, with large plumes of smoke seen pouring out of the ground-floor premises.
Fire and Emergency shift manager Lauren Sika told the Herald crews from six Auckland stations responded to the fire, including a specialist unit from Glen Eden.
A second alarm was raised at the fire’s peak but it was extinguished soon after crews arrived, Sika said.
