Blaze at the Metropolis raises alarm

The Metropolis Apartments. Photo / Jason Oxenham, New Zealand Herald

Firefighters have been battling a blaze at a multi-million dollar building in central Auckland this morning.

The small fire began in a ground floor restaurant in the Metropolis Building, off High St, about 7.50am.

Northern Fire Service spokesman Jaron Phillips said six crews were at the scene.
"There's a fire in a restaurant...a small fire on the ground floor.

"Sprinklers have activated there so it appears the fire was contained quite quickly."

The Metropolis Building cost $180 million to build and houses apartments as well as shops, cafes and bars.