A fire at an East Auckland McDonald’s is being treated as “suspected arson”.
Detective Senior Sergeant Michele Gillespie said a scene guard had been in place at McDonald’s Pakuranga overnight.
The restaurant was gutted in the blaze.
Police are carrying out a scene examination at the restaurant this morning.
“At this point in time we are treating this fire as suspected arson,” Gillespie said.
“As part of these inquiries we will be working to understand how the fire originated.”
A Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said a fire investigator would be at the scene this morning to determine the cause of the fire.
Gillespie said the fast food restaurant had “significant fire damage”.
The fire was reported to police at about 3pm yesterday.
Six fire engines fought the blaze as plumes of black smoke poured out above the restaurant.
“Everyone was evacuated, and there are no reports of injuries,” a fire spokesman said.
A staff member at the nearby petrol station told the Herald they had to close their pumps because the thick smoke reduced visibility.
A witness told the Herald he was filling up at the petrol station when he smelled what he thought was gas.
“There was a ute next to me smoking from the exhaust, so I thought nothing of it,” he said.
“After I had paid and came out, the playground [at McDonald’s] on fire was obvious.“
”I went over to see if I could help, but the heat was intense, and a few of us started to worry about whether it would reach the petrol station, so we got out of there pretty quickly.”
Reverend Amos Muzodiwa, from the nearby Trinity Church, told RNZ he saw a big fireball.
“It started around the play area from what I could see initially but it has now engulfed the whole building.
“The kids are coming out of Pakuranga College so they are battling to control the movement of kids so they don’t walk into the smoke.”
A McDonald’s spokesperson said they were assisting emergency services with the investigation into the cause of the fire.
“Procedures were followed to alert emergency services and safely evacuate customers and staff.”
Anyone with information about the fire to assist police inquiries can contact police on 105 using the reference number 250505/2106.
Information can be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
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