Covid 19 coronavirus: Rotorua isolation hotel evacuated after fire alarm

Rotorua's Sudima Hotel on Eruera St. Photo / Google

A Rotorua hotel where returning New Zealanders are in isolation was evacuated this morning after a fire alarm went off.

Fire and Emergency shift manager Craig Dally said firefighters were called to the Sudima Hotel on Eruera St about 7.25.

He said about 40-50 people were evacuated while firefighters checked it out.

Dally said they soon found it was a false alarm and said the alarm may have been defective.

Rotorua Fire Station senior station officer Tony Kelly said evacuated guests remained within the hotel grounds.

Firefighters wore additional protective gear, including gloves and face-masks, and the number of firefighters who went into the building was limited.

This was all part of new protocols agreed last week when Rotorua hotels began being used for isolation.

"It went really well this morning. The Defence Force and security people managed it really well."

He said 45 people were evacuated.