Firefighters battle Christchurch house blaze

Two fire crews were battling the blaze. Photo / File

Firefighters are at the scene of a massive blaze in an abandoned two-storey house in central Christchurch.

A fire service spokesman said the blaze broke out shortly after 1am in a quake-damaged Worcester St house that had been converted into flats.

At its height, up to five crews were battling the blaze and smoke and flames could be seen across the city.

The spokesman said initially there were fears that up to three people, who squat in the building, were missing but a search found no one inside.

The building has been extensively destroyed and is unlikely to be salvaged, he said.