Burst pipe floods Auckland CBD shopping centre

Firemen pump out water from The Strand Arcade basement Queen Street Auckland. Photo / Herald on Sunday / Doug Sherring

A downtown Auckland shopping centre was shut down as emergency workers worked to stem flooding from a burst water pipe.

Watercare worker Murray Spellman said the Mid City complex, which has about 90 retail stores, and surrounding stores on Queen St had been flooded.

Firemen pump out water from The Strand Arcade basement. Photo / Herald on Sunday /Doug Sherring

"We've got a water main which burst about 4am and we're just trying to find where the actual break is,'' he said.

Four fire engines and a salvage tender truck arrived on the scene about 8.15am.

Firemen pump out water from The Strand Arcade basement on Queen Street. Photo / Herald on Sunday / Doug Sherring

"They're pumping water out of the basement,'' said Steve Smith, fire communications shift manager.

Parts of Queen St, between Victoria and Wellesly St, were blocked off by police as the water
streamed down the road.