Person moderately injured following large building fire; nearby businesses evacuations

The fire started at a Buchan St, Christchurch business around 11.30am. Photo / Nathan Morton

Fire crews have tackled a large blaze that sparked at a Christchurch business shortly before lunchtime today.

One person has been moderately injured from the blaze; they were seen receiving treatment as firefighters dampened flames relatively quickly.

Emergency services were called to Christchurch Radiators, a commercial building on Buchan St in the central city at around 11.40am.

Two fire crews parked outside the building and engaged in active firefighting as plumes of white smoke billowed from the roof.

Emergency services have blocked the road. Photo / Nathan Morton

An employee from neighbouring business Long Cloud Kayaks said staff were asked to evacuate and a number of people working and passing by at the time stood watching from the police cordons.

According to Fire and Emergency’s Senior Station Officer, Mark Shawe the blaze appeared to have started somewhere within the roof space.

He said it wasn’t clear how many people were inside the building at the time but one person was taken from the building and was receiving treatment.

Shaw also confirmed there were dangerous goods inside the building, which prompted the evacuations.

“We did have some highly explosive oxy-acetylene cylinders and some LPG gas cylinders, so we evacuated people well back from the incident until they were contained,” he said.

“Now the evacuations have been eased to allow people back into their workplaces.”

Shawe said there was no spill involved.

“It was just compressed gases and cylinders and none of it was compromised.”