More than 200 residents were evacuated from an Auckland apartment building this morning following a fire on the 10th floor which was started by an electric scooter.
People in pyjamas lined Cook St after the fire broke out in the Aura Apartments, while six fire trucks blocked the road.
Assistant fire commander Barry Thomas told the Herald the fire was started by an electric scooter.
He said two residents had been assessed by ambulance and there was damage from the “vapour fire”.
”No one will be allowed back in that apartment for a while.”
He said they have called for a full fire investigation into what took place.
Just before 6.30am people were being allowed back into the building.
One lane of Cook St remains closed as firefighters start packing up their gear.
Two Vector emergency gas response vehicles have arrived, while a police car and an ambulance are also in attendance.
Fire and Emergency NZ northern shift manager Michael Anderson said the fire service received an automatic fire alarm alert at 5.32am.
When crews arrived they found smoke on the 10th level and transmitted a third alarm to call for more resources, but they were stood down shortly after.
A fire was located inside an apartment and it was extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.
At the fire’s peak there were five fire trucks and one ladder truck. Three trucks and the ladder truck remain at the scene, with remaining crews helping ventilate the building, Anderson said.
A resident told the Herald the alarm went off at 5.30am and everyone had to be evacuated.
Firefighters were earlier seen comforting two people lying down on the street and were heard calling out for the owners of apartments on the 10th floor.
Smoke could earlier be seen billowing from the apartments as well as a vent outside, according to RNZ. However no noticeable smoke or flames can now be seen coming from the building.
A police officer was seen speaking to two women who had been separated from the rest of the crowd. Other residents have told the Herald they are “cold” and they “hope everything is okay”.
No one spoken to by the Herald knew what had happened.
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