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New Zealand

Large fire at building site in Graham St, downtown Auckland

2 minutes to read
Emergency services are responding to a large fire in central Auckland's Graham St, opposite NZME Central.

Emergency services are responding to a large fire in central Auckland's Graham St, opposite NZME Central.

NZ Herald

A spark from a welder is believed to have caused a fire at a $75 million apartment complex under construction in downtown Auckland.

The building site blaze in Graham St was extinguished by workers shortly before firefighters arrived.

A worker at the site told the Herald the fire started in a lift shaft due to a spark from a welder.

The site was evacuated and the thick plume of smoke seen around the city was burning plastic, the worker said. The site crane was not affected by the fire.

The site was evacuated and the thick plume of smoke seen around the city was burning plastic, the worker said.
The site was evacuated and the thick plume of smoke seen around the city was burning plastic, the worker said.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand confirmed the fire was in a lift shaft on the 10th floor.

Fenz received the callout at 8.19am. No one was injured, station officer Ali Rodger said.

"It was a small fire, out on arrival," Rodger said.

"It was extinguished by staff using dry powder extinguishers and a fixed hose reel."

They were waiting on a fire investigator to confirm the cause of the blaze.

A worker at the site said: "Flames everywhere, me and the other guys try to blitz it out with the fire extinguishers.

"There was too much oxygen in the air so we couldn't take it out."

The building under construction is the Safari Group's Ramada Hotel and Suites Victoria St, a $75m Auckland project with 66 private apartments and 48 hotel apartments.

A spokeswoman for Safari Group said the company would not comment.

The blaze was visible across the city, with thick plumes of black smoke drifting over the Auckland skyline.

Smoke can be seen billowing from the building. Photo / Sarah Pritchett
Smoke can be seen billowing from the building. Photo / Sarah Pritchett

Four fire engines attended and the fire was put out about 8.45am.

Smoke can be seen across the city.
Smoke can be seen across the city.

An ambulance was also in attendance.

Smoke can be seen across the city centre. Photo / Braedan Acarapi
Smoke can be seen across the city centre. Photo / Braedan Acarapi
Smoke can be seen coming from the building site in Graham St.
Smoke can be seen coming from the building site in Graham St.