A 38-year-old man has been taken to Auckland Hospital for observation following a chemical leak at a drycleaners this morning.

Staff at Regal Drycleaners in Broadway Newmarket contacted police, fire and ambulance at about 9.15am after smelling fumes in the building.

It appears the fumes were coming from a leak in a drycleaning machine. It had been leaking for at least two hours.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus evacuated the block of shops surrounding the drycleaners and have spent the morning trying to ventilate the building.

Occupational Safety and Health staff have been called to the scene. The Fire Service Hazardous Materials Unit is also there.