Burning carton may have caused CBD fire

A flaming cardboard box on the second floor landing of an inner-city apartment building appeared to be the cause of a fire in Auckland's CBD early Friday morning.

Police said the fire at Newland House on Lorne Street could have been linked to several rubbish bin fires on High Street earlier in the evening.

Fire staff were alerted to the blaze by an alarm activation about 5.50am and about a dozen residents evacuated the premises. Some reported seeing a small fire on the second-floor landing.

Police and fire staff are investigating the cause of the blaze.

- NZHERALD STAFF