Police investigate fire at Countdown Botany, second in two months for the franchise

Countdown Botany. Photo / Google

Police are investigating another fire at an Auckland Countdown which closed the supermarket for half a day.

Emergency services were notified of the fire breaking out at Countdown Botany Downs just after 7.30pm last night.

The store was closed till 12pm, a worker in a neighbouring shop told the Herald.

Police say they are following actives lines of inquiry, including CCTV footage.

A Countdown spokesperson said the supermarket was cooperating with authorities.

"There was a small fire in our Botany store last night - it was evacuated and as there was some smoke, we closed it this morning just to make sure everything was in order. The store is now open again," the spokesperson said.

Sixty firefighters were sent to a blaze at Countdown in WestCity Waitakere mall, Henderson on May 6.

The blaze caused hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of water, smoke and fire damage, according to police.

Customers were evacuated after the fire started in the potato chip aisle just before 8.30pm.

A Countdown staff member told the Herald about online videos where packets of chips were set alight.

The challenge has appeared on social media app TikTok and has resulted in at least one large supermarket fire in the US already.